A suspect was arrested on January 12 in connection with the shooting that claimed eight lives in Pienaar during the early hours of January 11.

Police detectives apprehended the 39-year-old male suspect at a residence in Pienaar just before midnight. A pistol with 13 live rounds of ammunition was confiscated during the arrest, according to provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane.

The suspect is expected to appear in court soon. The shooting occurred at about 04:00 near a tavern, leaving six people, including a woman, dead on the scene. Two others, a man and a woman, later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Three individuals remain hospitalized, while one has been discharged.

The victims, aged between 19 and 45, are believed to have been caught in the crossfire of gang-related violence. Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Dr. Zeph Mkhwanazi visited the scene on January 12 and instructed detectives to thoroughly investigate the incident.

Authorities are also probing why the tavern was operational at 04:00, despite licensing regulations that require it to close at midnight, according to a family member of the tavern owner.