A massive manhunt is underway in South Africa after gunmen armed with AK-47-style rifles and pistols stormed a crowded tavern and opened fire, killing 17 people and wounding 15 more.
The attack happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Wedela, a township roughly 50 miles southwest of Johannesburg.
According to South African police, eight armed men arrived at the tavern and began shooting at customers outside before moving inside and continuing the attack. Seventeen people, including four women, were killed at the scene. Fifteen others were rushed to hospitals with gunshot wounds.
Police say the attackers also searched some of the victims and stole cellphones before fleeing in two vehicles. Two other vehicles were found burned near the scene.
No arrests had been announced as of Sunday, and investigators were still trying to determine exactly what triggered the bloodshed.
However, Reuters reported that early investigative leads suggested the Wedela shooting may have been connected to a turf dispute involving illegal mining. Authorities had not yet confirmed that as the final motive.
The carnage did not end there.
Hours later, another mass shooting erupted at an entertainment venue in Lwandle near Cape Town.
Ten people were killed and 11 more wounded in that attack. Five victims died at the scene, while five others later died at hospitals. Police launched a separate search for the gunmen responsible.
Together, the two attacks left 27 people dead within hours.
The shootings have intensified concerns over violent crime and illegal firearms in South Africa, where police and crime experts have repeatedly pointed to the widespread availability of unlicensed guns and the role of organized criminal groups.
The latest violence comes just days after another deadly shooting in KwaZulu-Natal Province, where 12 people were killed at a home.
South African police have faced a series of mass shootings in recent years, including attacks on taverns and other gathering places.
The country recorded 5,427 murders between April and June 2026, according to official police statistics — an average of nearly 60 killings per day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has also authorized the deployment of soldiers in some high-crime areas this year as the government struggles to contain organized crime and gun violence.
Leave a Reply