Nine people killed in mass shooting near Johannesburg, South Africa

At least nine people were killed and 10 others wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire at a tavern in a township near Johannesburg early on Sunday, in the latest mass shooting to shock South Africa.

The attack took place shortly before 1am at a bar in Bekkersdal, an impoverished gold-mining area about 40 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg.

Police said around a dozen suspects arrived in two vehicles — a white kombi and a silver sedan — and began firing at patrons inside and outside the tavern.

“The suspects opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene,” the South African Police Service said in a statement.

Some victims were also shot in nearby streets as the gunmen escaped. Police initially reported that 10 people had been killed but later revised the death toll down to nine.

Among those killed was a driver working for an online car-hailing service who had been outside the bar at the time, provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC.

A manhunt has been launched for the attackers, with police appealing to witnesses to come forward.

Officials told AFP that the motive for the shooting remains unknown.

2nd mass shooting in a month

The Bekkersdal attack is the second mass shooting reported in South Africa this month. On December 7, gunmen stormed a hostel in Saulsville township near Pretoria, killing at least 11 people, including a three-year-old child, and wounding 14 others.

That shooting took place at an illegal alcohol outlet, which police say are frequently linked to such attacks. South Africa continues to grapple with entrenched violent crime, driven by gang activity, disputes at informal businesses and the widespread circulation of illegal firearms.

Police data shows an average of 63 people were killed each day between April and September, underscoring the scale of the crisis in one of the world’s most violent countries.

- Agencies