Two mass shootings in South Africa leave 27 dead

Two mass shootings in South Africa over the weekend left 27 people dead and 26 others injured, according to police. The first attack occurred on Saturday evening when eight gunmen stormed a bar near Johannesburg, killing 17 people and injuring 15 more. In a separate shooting in the early hours of Sunday morning, 10 people were killed outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town, with a further 11 injured.

In the Johannesburg incident, gunmen opened fire on customers outside the bar before continuing the attack inside and setting two vehicles on fire before fleeing. Police said 13 men and four women were killed. Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni said people from Ethiopia and Lesotho were among those caught up in the shooting, but that the vast majority were South African. He also said police believed the motive behind the shooting was robbery, as personal belongings had been taken, but that they could not rule out turf wars between illegal mining groups.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world and has struggled to contain gang-related gun violence in recent years. Police have not given a definitive motive for either of the latest attacks. The shootings highlight ongoing challenges with violent crime in the country.

According to Mehr News, investigations into both incidents are ongoing.