At least 9 killed, several wounded after mass shooting in South Africa’s Johannesburg – What we know

At least nine people were killed, and several others were wounded after unknown gunmen opened fire at a bar outside South Africa’s Johannesburg, police said early Sunday (Dec 21). A dozen men attacked the tavern at Bekkersdal, in a gold mining area around 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the city, just before 1:00 am local time. The incident is the second such in the country this month.

In a statement, the police said that the attackers in two vehicles “opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene.” A manhunt for the attackers has been launched.

In an earlier statement, the police said that 10 people were killed, but later revised the toll to nine. The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Bekkersdal, where the shooting took place, is an impoverished region near some of the country’s major gold mines.

South Africa, home to 63 million people, has significantly high crime rates, including one of the highest murder rates in the world. Shooting incidents are not uncommon in the nation, often fuelled by gang violence and business rivals.

Earlier on December 6, gunmen stormed a hostel in Saulsville township near the capital, Pretoria. A dozen people were killed, including a three-year-old child. Police said that the shooting was at a site that was illegally selling alcohol.

According to the police data, an average of 63 people were killed in the country each day between April and September.