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Gunmen killed at least 27 people and wounded more than 20 in two mass shootings in South African townships over the weekend of September 26 and 27, police said. The first attack hit a tavern in Wedela, southwest of Johannesburg, on Saturday night, and the second struck Lwandle, near Cape Town, early Sunday, Al Jazeera reported.
Police said the Wedela attack began at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Gauteng province's West Rand district. Eight gunmen, reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols, opened fire on customers drinking outside, then moved inside and kept shooting. Some customers were searched during the attack and had their phones taken. Seventeen people died, 13 men and four women, and 15 were wounded, according to police figures reported by CBS News, citing AFP.
The attackers escaped in two vehicles, and two other vehicles were burned during the incident. Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said detectives and specialist units had been assigned to track down the eight suspects. Police opened 17 murder cases and 15 attempted murder cases. The motive remains unknown.
A few hours later, just after midnight on Sunday, gunmen opened fire at a venue in Lwandle, killing 10 people and wounding 11. Five victims died at the scene. The other five died while being taken to the hospital. Police said they were searching for multiple suspects. No arrests had been announced in either case as of Sunday.
The two attacks came days after a shooting at a house party near Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman.
South Africa, a country of about 62 million people, records roughly 60 murders a day, one of the highest rates in the world. Legal and illegal firearms are widespread, and much of the gun violence is linked to gang rivalries and competition among informal businesses.
The government has leaned on the military to help. In March, soldiers moved into violence hotspots in Johannesburg to support police, after President Cyril Ramaphosa described crime as one of the biggest threats facing the country. South Africa has deployed troops in past crises too, including during Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, the deadly riots that followed former President Jacob Zuma's jailing in 2021, and a wave of truck burnings in 2023.
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