South Africa: 28 people killed in 2 separate mass shootings
What's the story
Two separate mass shootings in South Africa have left a total of 28 people dead and many others injured. The first incident took place near Johannesburg on Saturday evening when eight gunmen attacked a bar, killing 18 and injuring 14. The second shooting occurred early Sunday outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town, claiming the lives of 10 and injuring another 11.
Attack details
Johannesburg incident
In the Johannesburg incident, gunmen fired at patrons outside a bar before entering and setting two vehicles on fire.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni confirmed that victims included people from Ethiopia and Lesotho, but most were South Africans.
He said police suspect robbery was the motive behind this attack as personal belongings were stolen.
However, turf wars between illegal mining groups are also being considered as a possible motive due to previous incidents of violence in the area.
Second attack
Cape Town shooting
In the Cape Town shooting, five victims died at the scene while another five succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
No arrests have been made in either case as of Sunday morning.
These two incidents come on the heels of another mass shooting in Durban city, where 11 people were killed when gunmen stormed a house in KwaMakhutha township.
Crime statistics
High murder rate in South Africa
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates globally, with about 60 murders reported daily in a population of 62 million.
The country has been battling gang-related gun violence for years, especially with illegal mining operations that often lead to deadly accidents.
These operations are usually run by undocumented migrants recruited by organized crime syndicates.
Government response
Military deployed to curb armed violence
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa had called organized crime "the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development."
To curb armed violence, the military was deployed in high-murder-rate areas along with police forces.
In a separate but related incident on Saturday, a 10th woman's body was discovered in Ekurhuleni near Johannesburg. Local police are investigating the possibility of a serial killer operating in the area due to similarities between these deaths.