At least 27 people were killed in two separate mass shootings in South Africa within a few hours, highlighting the country’s persistent struggle with gun violence.
The first attack took place near Johannesburg on Saturday evening, when a group of eight gunmen reportedly entered a bar and opened fire on people gathered outside before continuing the shooting inside, police said.
Seventeen people — 13 men and four women — were killed, while 15 others were wounded. The attackers also reportedly set two vehicles ablaze before escaping.
Police have yet to establish a motive. However, Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana said investigators were examining whether the shooting was connected to an earlier incident last month in which one person was killed and another injured. Authorities believe the latest attack could have been an act of retaliation, according to AFP.
Kekana said police already had photographs of some of the suspects and, in certain cases, knew their identities.
A second shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town. Ten people were killed and 11 others injured. Five victims died at the scene, while five more succumbed to their injuries in hospital. No arrests had been reported in either case by Sunday morning.
The shootings came just days after another mass shooting in Durban, where 11 people were killed after gunmen reportedly stormed a house in the KwaMakhutha township.
Why gun violence remains a major issue in South Africa
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with illegal firearms widely available. Roughly 60 people are killed every day in a country of about 62 million, and firearms are frequently involved in violence associated with organised crime and gangs.
A number of recent mass shootings have intensified concerns about escalating violence, particularly in communities affected by criminal networks. Gang conflicts are often linked to activities such as drug trafficking and illegal mining, according to the BBC.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described organised crime in February as “the most immediate threat” to South Africa’s democracy, society and economic development. Authorities have responded by increasing security in some of the country’s most violent areas, including deploying the military alongside police earlier this year.
Other investigations near Johannesburg
The latest shootings have also occurred as authorities investigate a series of deaths involving women in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg. Police recovered the body of a 10th woman in the area on Saturday.
Authorities said they could not rule out the possibility of a serial killer because of similarities in some of the cases, according to the BBC.
The two latest shootings have therefore added to wider security concerns in parts of South Africa, where authorities are confronting gang violence, illegal firearms, organised crime and persistently high murder rates.
As of Sunday morning, police had not confirmed a motive or announced arrests in either shooting. Investigators were continuing to establish who carried out the attacks and what prompted them.
