CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Two separate mass shootings in South African townships within hours of each other have left at least 27 people dead and more than two dozen wounded, police said Sunday.
In the first attack, eight gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg, late Saturday, the South African Police Service said, according to the AP. The attack began around 9:30 p.m. local time. The gunmen fired at patrons outside the establishment before moving inside and continuing to shoot. Seventeen people — 13 men and four women — were killed, and at least 15 others were injured. Police said the attackers also searched some patrons and took their mobile phones before escaping in two vehicles. Two cars were set alight outside the bar during the shooting.
About four hours later, gunmen killed at least 10 people and wounded 11 at a store linked to what police described as an entertainment venue in Lwandle township near Cape Town, around 1 a.m. Sunday. Police said they were searching for multiple suspects but did not specify how many gunmen were involved.
No arrests have been announced in either case, and the motives remain unknown. Police deployed specialized detective units to both townships and surrounding areas in the hunt for the gunmen.
The attacks came five days after another mass shooting at a house party in KwaMakhutha township near Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman. Police have not reported any arrests in that case either, the AP reported.
South Africa has long struggled with some of the world’s highest rates of violent crime, but the succession of mass shootings in recent days has intensified concern. Authorities have linked some attacks to criminal gangs and the widespread availability of illegal firearms. Official crime statistics released in August showed a decline in murder during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, but authorities continue to identify illegal firearms and organized criminal activity as major security concerns, according to local reports.