At least 27 people have been killed in separate mass shooting incidents in South Africa’s Gauteng and Western Cape provinces overnight.
In the first incident, gunmen armed with assault rifles killed 17 people and wounded 15 others at a bar in Wedela township, west of Johannesburg, police said on Sunday.
Manhunt underway for 8 suspects
Gauteng police said they have launched a manhunt for eight unidentified armed men following deadly shooting.
“They allegedly searched some patrons and took their cellphones before fleeing the scene in two unidentified motor vehicles,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said.
Emergency services declared all 17 victims, 13 men and four women, dead at the scene. Authorities said the shooting occurred Saturday at around 9:30 p.m. local time (1930 UTC).
A motive for the shooting was not known, the SAPS said, adding that “suspects were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols.”
10 killed in Lwandle tavern shooting, Cape Town
In a separate shooting in the Western Cape, police said gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 more at an entertainment venue in Lwandle township at 1:46 a.m. (2346 Saturday GMT).
Authorities said five of the victims died at the scene while another five succumbed to their injuries after being taken to hospital.
Police said that no arrests have been made and that a “multi-disciplinary team” led by serious and violent crime detectives had been established to track down those responsible.
More police resources have been sent to the area as the search for the perpetrators continues.
The latest incidents came just days after at least 11 people were gunned down at a home in KwaZulu-Natal Province.
That shooting occurred in KwaMakhutha, a township some 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Durban, the eastern province’s largest city.
South Africa has been grappling with violent crime and has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with around 60 people dying violently in the country each day.
This article will be updated as more details become available.
