Twenty-eight people have been killed in two mass shootings that occurred hours apart in South Africa. The first incident took place on Saturday evening when eight gunmen attacked a bar near Johannesburg, resulting in 18 deaths and 14 injuries. In a separate shooting early Sunday morning, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town, with an additional 11 individuals injured.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates globally and has faced challenges in controlling gang-related gun violence. Police have not confirmed a motive for the recent attacks. In Johannesburg, the assailants opened fire on patrons outside the bar before continuing inside and setting two vehicles on fire as they fled. So far, only four of the deceased have been identified.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni reported that victims included individuals from Ethiopia and Lesotho, but the majority were South African citizens. He indicated that robbery might be a motive, as personal belongings were taken, although turf wars related to illegal mining could also be a factor.
Illegal mining in abandoned sites is a significant issue in South Africa, often leading to fatalities due to unsafe conditions. Authorities have noted that many miners are undocumented migrants associated with organized crime. Earlier, Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana suggested that the shootings could be retaliatory, following an incident last month that resulted in one death and another injury.
In Cape Town, five victims died at the scene of the shooting, while another five succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been made in connection with either shooting.
These two mass shootings occurred shortly after another incident in Durban, where 11 people were killed when gunmen attacked a house in the KwaMakhutha township. Gun violence remains a significant concern in South Africa, with approximately 60 murders reported daily in a country of 62 million people. Recent mass shootings have heightened fears regarding the escalation of violence, often linked to gang conflicts over drug trafficking and illegal mining.
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa described organized crime as the most immediate threat to the nation's democracy, society, and economic development. Earlier this year, military forces were deployed alongside police in high-crime areas to address armed violence. Additionally, a tenth woman's body was discovered in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, with local police investigating the possibility of a serial killer in the area due to similarities in the cases.