Johannesburg – Gauteng police have launched a major manhunt after five people were shot and killed in a brazen daytime attack outside a tuck shop in the Jeffsville informal settlement, Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, multiple news outlets report.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili, the incident occurred at around 1:15 pm on Wednesday when an unknown number of suspects approached the victims, who were standing outside the tuck shop, and opened fire without saying a word.
“The victims were standing outside the tuck shop when they were approached by an unknown number of suspects, who opened fire without saying a word,” Muridili said.
Paramedics declared all five victims dead at the scene, and the suspects fled immediately after the shooting. “The suspects fled immediately after the shooting and remain at large,” she added.
#sapsGP PC, Lt GenTommy Mthombeni has mobilised resources following a shooting incident that happened in Atteridgeville, Jeffsville today, 21/01 at about 13:15.
Five people were shot outside a Tuck Shop at Block JV by unknown assailants. The victims were declared dead on the… https://t.co/cwH3fa4ggt pic.twitter.com/pl6YaumMgR
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) January 21, 2026
Police have mobilised significant resources to investigate the attack. Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni confirmed that members of the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Investigations unit, Forensic Crime Scene Management, Crime Intelligence, and the Provincial Tracking Team are processing the scene and interviewing witnesses.
A case of five counts of murder will be registered, with investigators focusing on determining the motive behind the attack, Muridili said.
In a related development, police confirmed that at least three of the victims are believed to be foreign nationals, while two remain unidentified. SAPS Tshwane District Commissioner Major General Samuel Thine said officers are still interviewing witnesses to clarify the number of suspects and how they arrived at the scene.
“We are still interviewing witnesses to confirm and give us more details as to the number of suspects and what the suspects were using… because it cannot be confirmed right now whether the suspects were travelling in a vehicle or were on foot,” he said.
At this stage, the motive for the murders remains unclear. Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward as investigations continue.
Five people have been shot dead in Jeffsville informal settlement, Atteridgeville, Tshwane. #Newzroom405‘s Scara Mafokoane speaks to the police for more details.
Watch: https://t.co/joEPAYs05r pic.twitter.com/Cj8FYaXuur
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 21, 2026
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
