Two shootings near entertainment venues in South Africa have left at least 28 people dead.
A bar near Johannesburg and an entertainment venue near Cape Town were targeted within hours, leaving at least 28 dead as police investigate possible motives.
At least 28 people have been killed in two mass shootings in South Africa within hours of each other, with attacks at a bar near Johannesburg and outside an entertainment venue near Cape Town.
The shootings took place on September 26 and 27, adding to a series of deadly incidents that have heightened concerns about gun violence in the country. No arrests had been made in connection with either attack at the time of reporting.
Gunmen attack bar near Johannesburg
The first shooting occurred on Saturday, September 26, when eight armed attackers opened fire on patrons at a local bar near Johannesburg. People both inside and outside the establishment were targeted.
The assailants also set two vehicles alight before fleeing. Authorities said most of those killed were South African, while nationals from Lesotho and Ethiopia were also caught in the attack.
Police are examining possible connections to armed robbery and violence between gangs involved in illegal mining. A possible revenge motive linked to a shooting the previous month has also been raised, but the motive remains unconfirmed.
The lines of inquiry leave key questions about what prompted the attack unresolved. Investigators had not announced arrests in the bar shooting at the time of reporting.
Ten die after Cape Town-area shooting
The second attack took place on Sunday, September 27, outside an entertainment venue in a township near Cape Town. Five people died at the scene, and five others later died in hospital from their injuries.
Another 11 people were wounded in that shooting. The attack brought the combined reported death toll from the two incidents to at least 28.
Although both shootings targeted people at or near entertainment establishments and occurred within hours, no connection between the two attacks had been established in the available details. A motive for the Cape Town-area shooting had not been specified.
Wider concerns over violent crime
The attacks follow other recent killings in South Africa. In Durban, 11 people were killed in a residential shooting. Separately, police in Ekurhuleni are investigating a possible serial killing after the body of a 10th woman was discovered.
South Africa, which has a population of about 62 million, has one of the world’s highest levels of violent crime. Official figures record thousands of murders each year.
Violence involving gangs linked to illegal mining and the narcotics trade remains a major security concern. Authorities have increased police operations and deployed military personnel alongside officers in some high-crime areas as part of their response to the broader security challenges.
