South Africa Tavern Shooting Death Toll Rises to 18
The death toll from a weekend tavern shooting in South Africa’s Wedela township, west of Johannesburg, has risen to 18 after another victim died in hospital, police have confirmed.
The shooting happened late Saturday when armed suspects opened fire at a tavern in Wedela, about 80 kilometres west of Johannesburg. Police said the attackers were armed with AK-47 rifles.
Four of the victims had been identified by Monday, including two South African nationals and two citizens of neighbouring Lesotho, according to police.
Authorities are continuing a manhunt for those responsible. Police said investigators had obtained clear images of the suspected attackers as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
One line of investigation is examining whether the attack was connected to a conflict between heavily armed illegal mining gangs operating in the area. Such groups, commonly known in South Africa as zama zamas, are involved in the country’s illicit gold-mining trade.
Residents in Wedela have described living in fear following the shooting, with spent ammunition casings reportedly still visible around the scene. Police and military personnel have since increased their presence in the area as authorities attempt to disrupt criminal groups operating around abandoned gold mines.
The Wedela shooting was one of two deadly attacks reported in South Africa over the weekend.
A separate shooting at a drinking venue in Lwandle, near Cape Town, left 10 people dead and 11 others injured. Authorities are investigating the two incidents separately, and the motives have not been conclusively established.
The latest violence comes less than a week after another shooting in KwaMakhutha township, south of Durban, where 11 people were killed at a house party. Police are also investigating that attack.
South African authorities continue to face challenges involving illegal firearms, organised criminal groups and violent crime, while investigations into the latest shootings remain ongoing.
