Gunmen on Sunday killed nine people and injured 10 others in what police described as a random shooting in a township outside Johannesburg, with the motive for the attack still unknown.
The shooting occurred at Bekkersdal, about 40 kilometres south-west of Johannesburg, marking the second mass shooting recorded in South Africa this December. Police initially reported that 10 people had been killed but later revised the figure.
According to police, the assailants arrived in two vehicles and began firing indiscriminately near an informal tavern in the area.
“Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,” a police statement said.
The statement added that the attackers “opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene”.
Provincial police commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana told SABC television that those killed included a driver working for an online car-hailing service who was outside the bar at the time of the attack.
Police said the motive for the shooting was unclear and that a manhunt had been launched to track down the perpetrators.
The injured victims were taken to hospital for treatment, police said.
Bekkersdal is an impoverished township located near some of South Africa’s major goldmines. The country continues to struggle with high levels of violent crime, with shootings frequently linked to gang activity and competition among informal businesses.
Earlier this month, on December 6, gunmen attacked a hostel near Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three-year-old child. Police said that incident occurred at a site where alcohol was being sold illegally.
The tragedy occurred when gunmen attacked a hostel in Saulsville township, west of Pretoria, South Africa.
At least, fourteen others were wounded in the attack.
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