Another night of violence in South Africa: two shootings leave 27 dead

Gunmen killed at least 27 people in two mass shootings in South Africa's two main cities, police said Sunday, in the latest episode of violence in the crime-ridden country.

The first attack occurred around 9:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. GMT) on Saturday, when eight men armed with assault rifles attacked a bar west of Johannesburg and killed 17 people, wounding 15 others.

The suspects opened fire on customers drinking outside, then entered the establishment to continue shooting, police said.

The victims who died were 13 men and four women, law enforcement officials said, adding that the motive for the shooting remained unknown and that the suspects had set fire to two vehicles before fleeing.

In the Johannesburg attack, "it appears that (the assailants) searched some customers, seizing their mobile phones before fleeing in two unidentified cars," law enforcement officials said, explaining that the motive for the shooting remained unknown at this time.

The police have mobilized a team of detectives and other specialized units to locate and apprehend the suspects.

In another massacre at a nightclub in the Cape Town township of Lwandle at 1:46 a.m. local time (11:46 p.m. GMT), gunmen "opened fire on patrons" early Sunday morning. Ten people were killed and 11 others wounded, South African police said.

Five of the victims were declared dead at the scene, while the others succumbed to their injuries during transport to the hospital, law enforcement officials said.

- Armed violence -

No suspects have been arrested in either case, police said.

These attacks are occurring in a South Africa saturated with firearms, held legally and illegally, and facing persistent gun violence, often linked to gang rivalries and competition in the informal sector.

This country of approximately 62 million inhabitants records an average of 60 murders per day, one of the highest rates in the world.

In March, soldiers were deployed to the areas most affected by violence in Johannesburg to support police efforts against endemic crime, described by President Cyril Ramaphosa as one of the biggest threats facing the country.

South Africa has repeatedly called upon the army in times of crisis, whether to enforce strict Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 or to deploy troops during the deadly riots sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma in 2021.

Soldiers were also sent into the streets in 2023 after a wave of truck fires sparked fears of wider unrest.

In 2019, some 1,300 soldiers were deployed to support the police in the gang-ridden Cape Flats neighborhoods around Cape Town.

However, shootings and other violent crimes remain a constant threat.

In Johannesburg, 10 women have been killed in the same municipality in two months, the latest being found on Saturday, half-naked and stoned to death.

A suspect has been taken into custody, police said. The nine other victims were mostly between 20 and 30 years old, some of whom were found naked and showing signs of sexual assault.

Police have offered a reward of 400,000 rand (21,500 euros) for information leading to the arrest of the murderer(s). With local elections scheduled for November, the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's second-largest political party, has promised to more than double the reward.