Twelve people were killed and nine others wounded after a coordinated mass shooting tore through the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, east of Johannesburg, late Tuesday night, sparking a major police manhunt across South Africa.
According to police, more than 10 heavily armed suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum minibus and entered the settlement through two separate access points. The attackers then moved through the community, opening fire at multiple locations before fleeing in the same vehicle. Investigators say the motive remains unknown and no arrests have been made.
The victims included eight men and three women who were declared dead at the scene. Another injured man later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 12. Nine other people were rushed to nearby medical facilities with gunshot wounds.
Police have mobilised provincial and district detectives, crime intelligence teams and forensic experts to track down the suspects and determine what triggered the deadly assault. Authorities say the attackers appeared to have planned the operation carefully, entering from different points and striking several locations in quick succession.
The massacre is the latest in a series of high profile mass shootings that have shaken South Africa in recent years. Cleveland and surrounding areas have previously been linked to illegal mining activity, a factor investigators are expected to examine as part of the probe. However, police have not identified any connection between the shooting and criminal gangs.
South Africa continues to battle one of the highest murder rates in the world, recording an average of around 60 killings a day. The latest attack has renewed concerns about organised violence, illegal firearms and public safety in vulnerable communities across the country.
South Africa Mass Shooting: 12 Killed After Coordinated Attack in Johannesburg
