Two people have been killed in a shooting at the Booysens Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg, with three others wounded in the incident on Tuesday, 20 January 2026.
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development said it had learned “with serious concern” of the incident, which was still unfolding at the time of reporting. Law enforcement agencies were deployed to the scene and were attending to the situation.
“At this stage, it has been reported that five people were shot, with two fatalities,” the Ministry confirmed.
Authorities have not yet released details on the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the identities of those involved.
Court operations were affected as police secured the area and worked to stabilise the situation.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel is scheduled to proceed to the scene to assess developments firsthand.
The Ministry said it is awaiting further verified details from law enforcement agencies and court management.
“The Ministry condemns this incident and will work with the relevant security and law enforcement authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are implemented to safeguard court users and personnel,” the statement read.
The Ministry added that it would continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.