Two South Africa mass shootings leave 27 dead at bars

A wave of gun violence has struck South Africa, leaving a total of 27 people dead following two separate mass shootings that occurred hours apart over the weekend. The first incident took place on Saturday evening when a group of eight gunmen stormed a bar close to Johannesburg, opening fire on customers both outside and inside the establishment before torching two vehicles as they fled the scene.

Police reported that the Johannesburg attack resulted in 13 men and four women being killed, alongside 15 others who sustained injuries. In a separate shooting during the early hours of Sunday morning, another 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town, with five dying at the scene and five more in the hospital, while 11 others were injured. No arrests had been made in connection with either case as of Sunday morning.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni stated that nationals from Ethiopia and Lesotho were among the victims in the Johannesburg shooting, though the vast majority were South African citizens. Investigators believe robbery was the primary motive due to stolen personal belongings, while authorities are also examining potential turf wars between rival illegal mining syndicates operating in the region.

Unauthorized mining in abandoned shafts remains a persistent hazard in South Africa, frequently resulting in fatalities due to unsafe conditions and involving undocumented migrants recruited by criminal syndicates. Earlier, Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana suggested the bar attack might have been retaliation for an incident last month, noting that police possess clear photographs and identities of suspects in certain cases.