At least 27 people have been killed in two separate mass shootings in South Africa’s major cities, police said Sunday, as the country continues to battle widespread gun violence.
In the first attack, eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed a bar west of Johannesburg at about 7:30 p.m. GMT on Saturday and opened fire on patrons, killing 17 people and injuring 15 others, police said.
According to police, the attackers initially opened fire on people drinking outside the bar before entering the premises and continuing the shooting. The victims comprised 13 men and four women.
The gunmen also set two vehicles ablaze before fleeing the scene. Police said the motive for the attack remained unknown and that no arrests had been made.
Hours later, another shooting occurred at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town, leaving 10 people dead and 11 others injured.
Police said five victims died at the scene, while the remaining five died while being taken to hospital. No arrests had been made in connection with the second attack.
The latest shootings highlight the persistent challenge of gun violence in South Africa, where authorities have frequently linked deadly attacks to gang disputes and competition among informal businesses.
The country, with a population of about 62 million, records an estimated 60 murders daily, placing it among countries with some of the highest murder rates globally.
Authorities have repeatedly deployed soldiers to support police operations in areas experiencing severe violence. In March, troops were sent to crime hotspots in Johannesburg as President Cyril Ramaphosa described rampant crime as one of the country’s major threats.
The military has also been deployed during previous periods of unrest, including the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, riots that followed the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma in 2021 and a wave of truck burnings in 2023.
In 2019, about 1,300 soldiers were deployed to support police operations in the gang-affected Cape Flats area of Cape Town.
Despite such measures, shootings and other violent crimes remain a persistent concern.
In Johannesburg, police said 10 women have been killed in the same municipality over the past two months. The latest victim was found on Saturday, semi-naked and having allegedly been stoned to death.
Police said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the killing.
The other nine victims were mostly women in their 20s and 30s, with some found stripped and showing signs of sexual assault.
Police have offered a 400,000-rand ($25,000) reward for information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible. The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, has offered an additional $31,000.
