Reloaded News Desk
At least 27 people have been killed in two separate shootings in South Africa within hours of each other, with police launching investigations and a manhunt for those responsible.
Seventeen people were killed in a shooting at a tavern in Wedela, southwest of Johannesburg, while another 10 people were killed at an entertainment venue in Lwandle near Cape Town.
Police said several other people were wounded in the two incidents.
The Johannesburg-area attack occurred during the early hours of Sunday after gunmen opened fire at the tavern.
According to police, the attackers were armed and opened fire on people at the venue before fleeing.
The second shooting occurred in Lwandle, where police responded to reports of gunfire at an entertainment venue and found several victims.
The two attacks occurred within hours of one another and have renewed concern over South Africa’s persistent problem with illegal firearms and mass shootings.
President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the shootings, saying the violence could not continue.
The attacks also came only days after another shooting near Durban in which 11 people were killed at a house party, according to police and South African media reports.
Police have opened investigations into both incidents and launched a search for the perpetrators.
The motive for each attack remains under investigation.
Reports have linked the Johannesburg-area shooting to tensions surrounding illegal mining activity, but that explanation remains subject to the outcome of the police investigation and should not be treated as an established motive.
The scale of the latest violence has placed renewed attention on South Africa’s struggle with gun crime, organised criminal activity and access to illegal firearms.
For families in the affected communities, however, the immediate issue is the loss of 27 lives in two separate attacks within the same night.
Police investigations are continuing as authorities work to identify those responsible and establish what led to the shootings.
