JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (HornPost)— At least 27 people were killed and dozens more injured in two separate mass shootings in South Africa within hours of each other, authorities said Sunday, as the country continues to grapple with high levels of gun violence.
Seventeen people were killed when eight gunmen opened fire at a bar near Johannesburg on Saturday evening, according to police. Fifteen others were injured in the attack.
In a separate incident in the early hours of Sunday, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town, while another 11 people were wounded.
Police have not established a definitive motive for either shooting, and no arrests had been reported by Sunday morning.
17 killed near Johannesburg
The Johannesburg-area shooting occurred when armed men opened fire on people outside a bar before continuing the attack inside, police said.
The attackers also set two vehicles on fire before fleeing the scene.
Police said 13 men and four women were among those killed.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Tommy Mthombeni said nationals from Ethiopia and Lesotho were among those caught in the attack, although most of the victims were South African.
Mthombeni said investigators believed robbery may have been a motive because personal belongings were taken from victims. However, police have not ruled out possible links to disputes involving illegal mining groups.
Illegal mining remains a persistent problem in South Africa, particularly around abandoned mine shafts and mining waste sites. Authorities have linked some illegal mining operations to organized criminal networks and undocumented migrants.
Earlier, Gauteng deputy provincial police commissioner Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana said investigators were also examining whether the shooting could have been retaliation for an incident last month in which one person was killed and another wounded, according to AFP.
Kekana said police had obtained clear images of some suspects and, in certain cases, had identified their names.
10 killed near Cape Town
In the second shooting, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town during the early hours of Sunday.
Five victims died at the scene, while another five died after being taken to hospital, authorities said.
Eleven additional people were injured in the attack.
Police had not announced any arrests in either shooting as of Sunday morning, and investigations were continuing.
South Africa faces persistent gun violence
The shootings add to concerns over violent crime in South Africa, which has one of the world’s highest homicide rates. Gun violence is particularly prevalent in areas affected by organized crime and gang activity.
Authorities have yet to establish whether the two shootings were connected.
Prepared by:
HornPost staff
