Two deadly mass shootings occurred in South Africa over the weekend, leaving at least 27 people dead and 26 injured. The first incident took place late Saturday night near Johannesburg. The second attack happened early Sunday morning in the Cape Town area.
At least 27 people were killed in separate shootings near Johannesburg and Cape Town just days after another mass shooting killed 11 near Durban.
Gunmen opened fire outside a bar then entered the building to continue killing people according to The Associated Press. Thirteen men and four women were among those killed in that attack. At least fifteen others were wounded during the same event.
The suspects took phones from some of those present before fleeing in two vehicles.
The second major shooting occurred at a store in Lwandle township near Cape Town. Ten people were killed and 11 were wounded in the attack. On Tuesday night another deadly event took place in KwaMakhutha township south of Durban.
Eleven people died at the house party including a pregnant woman.
No suspects have been arrested in either of the weekend mass shootings according to ABC News. South Africa has a long history of violent crime. The violence mostly affects poor communities in the country.
Police have linked some of these attacks to criminal gangs. The country has seen similar deadly events in recent months. A shooting in June in a Johannesburg neighborhood killed twelve people.
Two deadly incidents occurred in December killing twenty-one people in total. President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered soldiers into the streets in March to fight crime. He said organized gangs were a major threat to South Africa’s democracy and economy.
The military has been deployed in past crises including during the pandemic and after riots in 2021. Troops were also sent into cities in 2023 following a wave of truck burnings.
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