At least 9 people have been killed and 10 others wounded after unknown gunmen opened fire in a township outside Johannesburg, South African police said Sunday, marking the second mass shooting in the country this month.
Police said the attackers “randomly shot” victims on the streets of Bekkersdal, about 40 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg. The motive remains unclear.
Brig. Brenda Muridili, spokesperson for Gauteng police, told AFP authorities were still working to identify the victims. “Ten people are dead. We don’t have a breakdown of who they are,” she said.
The shooting happened near an informal tavern in the impoverished mining settlement, where several people often gather to drink. The wounded were taken to hospital, police said.
The incident comes just weeks after gunmen stormed a hostel near Pretoria on December 6, killing 12 people including a three-year-old child. That site was reportedly selling alcohol illegally.
South Africa, with a population of about 63 million, continues to battle one of the world’s highest murder rates, alongside frequent armed attacks and organised crime.
