At Least 27 Dead in Two Separate Mass Shootings in South Africa

Police reported on Sunday that gunmen had killed no fewer than 27 people in two separate mass shootings in South Africa’s biggest cities, adding to the country’s ongoing struggle with violent crime.

The first attack happened at a bar west of Johannesburg at about 7:30 p.m. GMT on Saturday.

Police said eight gunmen carrying assault rifles stormed the premises and opened fire on patrons, leaving 17 dead and 15 injured.

According to police, the assailants first fired on people drinking outside before going inside and shooting again.

The victims were 13 men and four women. Before escaping, the attackers also set two vehicles on fire. Police said no motive had been established and no arrests made.

Some hours later, a second shooting occurred at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town, killing ten people and injuring 11.

Five of the victims died where they were shot, and the other five died while being taken to hospital.

As in the first case, police had made no arrests.

The attacks come amid widespread gun violence in South Africa, where authorities often tie deadly incidents to gang disputes and rivalry between informal businesses.

The nation of roughly 62 million people sees around 60 murders daily, giving it one of the highest murder rates in the world.

The government has repeatedly sent the military to assist police in badly affected areas.

In March, troops were dispatched to crime hotspots in Johannesburg, with President Cyril Ramaphosa calling rampant crime one of the biggest threats facing the country.

Related: South Africa’s Anti-Migrant Deadline Triggers Unrest And Mass Exodus Fears

Soldiers have also been called out during earlier crises, including the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, the 2021 riots that followed former president Jacob Zuma‘s imprisonment, and a series of truck burnings in 2023.

In 2019, about 1,300 soldiers were deployed to back police operations in the Cape Flats, an area near Cape Town troubled by gangs.

Even so, shootings and other violent crimes continue to plague the country.

Meanwhile, ten women have been killed in the same Johannesburg municipality over the last two months.

Police said the most recent victim was discovered on Saturday, semi-naked and stoned to death. A suspect has been arrested over that murder.

The other nine victims were mostly women in their 20s and 30s, and some were found without clothing and showed signs of sexual assault.

Police are offering a reward of 400,000 rand ($25,000) for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible, and the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, has put up a further $31,000.