JOHANNESBURG, Sept 27 — Gunmen killed at least 27 people in two mass shootings in South Africa’s two main cities, police said today, in the latest violence to hit the crime-weary country.
The first attack occurred at around 9.30pm yesterday when eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed a bar west of Johannesburg, killing 17 people and wounding 15 others.
Police said the attackers opened fire on customers drinking outside before moving inside and continuing to shoot.
The victims included 13 men and four women, while the motive remains unknown.
Police said the suspects torched two vehicles before fleeing.
In a separate shooting at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town early today, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 others.
Five victims died at the scene, while another five succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital.
No arrests have been made in either case, police said.
South Africa, where both legal and illegal firearms are widespread, records about 60 murders a day and continues to struggle with gun violence often linked to gang rivalries and competition among informal businesses.
In March, soldiers were deployed to crime hotspots in Johannesburg to support police efforts against violent crime, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as one of the country’s biggest threats.
The latest shootings come amid separate concern over the killings of 10 women in one Johannesburg municipality over the past two months, with police offering a 400,000-rand (RMXXX) reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. — AFP
