Gunmen Kill 27 in Two Mass Shootings Near Johannesburg and Cape Town

Two Mass Shootings Kill 27

Gunmen killed at least 27 people in two separate mass shootings hours apart at a tavern west of Johannesburg and an entertainment venue near Cape Town. [1] The first incident occurred at around 1930 GMT on Saturday when eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed a bar west of Johannesburg and shot 17 people and wounded 15 others. [1] In a separate shooting at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town early on Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 more. [1] South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world and has struggled to contain gang-related gun violence in recent years. [2] Police have not indicated a motive for either of the latest attacks. [2]

Johannesburg Tavern Attack

In the first incident late on Saturday, at least 17 people were killed and 15 wounded in a shooting at a tavern in Wedela southwest of Johannesburg. [3] Police said they were searching for eight suspects, who were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols. [3] The attack began about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday in Extension 3, Wedela, in Gauteng province’s West Rand district. [3] Gunmen opened fire on customers outside the bar before continuing the attack inside and torching two vehicles before fleeing. [2] The victims included 13 males and four females. [2] The motive for the shooting remained unknown, and no arrests were announced. [3] Investigators said some customers were searched during the attack and had their mobile phones taken. [3] The suspects then escaped in two vehicles. [3] Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said detectives and specialist police units had been assigned to identify and find the eight suspects, with police opening 17 murder cases and 15 attempted murder cases as well as two cases related to property damage. [3]

Cape Town Venue Shooting

Early on Sunday, gunmen killed at least 10 people and wounded 11 at a store in Lwandle near Cape Town. [3] In the township of Lwandle on the outskirts of Cape Town, gunmen opened fire in a venue selling grilled meat around 1:46 a.m. on Sunday. [4] Five of the victims were declared dead at the scene while the others succumbed to their injuries while being taken to hospital. [1] Five people died at the scene and another five died of injuries after being transported to medical facilities, while 11 others were receiving medical treatment. [4] Detectives are hard at work in search of the perpetrators of the shooting incident with no arrests effected yet. [4] Onlookers gathered behind police lines at the scene of the shooting in Lwandle. [5]

Context of Gun Violence

The attacks come as South Africa, awash with legal and illegal firearms, grapples with persistent gun violence often linked to gang rivalries and competition among informal businesses. [1] The country of about 62 million people records roughly 60 murders a day, among the highest rates globally. [1] Illegal weapons are prevalent in South Africa and gun violence has been a persistent problem for decades, with about 60 murders recorded every day in the country of 62 million. [2] Gang violence and organized crime remain rife in South Africa, despite government efforts to curb one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world, including by deploying the army in some areas. [4] In March, soldiers moved into violence hotspots in Johannesburg to support police efforts to tackle rampant crime, described by President Cyril Ramaphosa as one of the biggest threats facing the country. [1] South Africa has repeatedly turned to the army in times of crisis, from enforcing strict Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 to deploying troops during the deadly riots sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma in 2021. [1] Soldiers were also sent into the streets in 2023 after a wave of truck burnings raised fears of wider unrest. [1] In 2019, around 1,300 soldiers were deployed to back up police in the gang-afflicted Cape Flats areas surrounding Cape Town. [1] In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa called organised crime the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development. [2] South Africa has a serious illegal firearms problem, and firearms are frequently used by organised criminal groups as well as in gang-related and other violent crimes, said crime expert Yusuf Abramjee. [5]

Recent Related Incidents

The shootings took place just days after a shooting at a house party near the city of Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman. [3] A shooting at a house party near Durban last week killed 11 people, while a series of women’s bodies found near Johannesburg since July has renewed fear and anger over high rates of femicide. [4] In Johannesburg, 10 women have been killed in a single municipality in two months, the latest found on Saturday semi-naked and stoned to death. [1] The nine other victims were mostly in their 20s and 30s, with some found stripped of their clothes and showing signs of sexual assault. [1] Police have offered a 400,000 rand reward for information leading to the arrest of the killer or killers, while the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest political party, has put up a further $31,000. [1] Crime is expected to be a major issue for voters in municipal elections in November, when the African National Congress is facing further erosion of voter support. [4]

Police and Official Response

No suspect has been arrested in either case, police said. [1] The motive was unclear and no arrests had been made, the statement said. [4] Every mass shooting should therefore trigger more than an investigation into the immediate perpetrators, said crime expert Yusuf Abramjee. [5] Authorities need to look at the wider networks behind the violence. [5] President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier this year that organised crime had become the biggest threat to South Africa’s democracy, and deployed the army to help police in some areas. [5]

What to watch next: Police continue to hunt the perpetrators in both cases with no arrests effected yet, while crime is expected to remain a major issue ahead of municipal elections in November.