South Africa: Eight shot dead at a birthday party; manhunt underway for gunmen

In another cold-blooded mass shooting, eight people have been shot dead, and three others have been injured in South Africa's Eastern Cape province on Sunday evening.

"Preliminary investigation at this stage has revealed that between 17:15 and 17:30, the owner of the house was celebrating his birthday when two unknown gunmen entered the yard in Makanda Street in Kwazakele and started shooting at the guests. Seven people (three females and four males) were fatally injured while another four people (two females and two males) sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital for treatment. One of the victims succumbed to the injuries in the hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to eight. The owner of the house was among the deceased," a statement from the police confirmed.

The gunmen, as per a Reuters report, fled the scene of the attack.

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Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects while an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack is underway. No arrests have been made at this stage, it further added.

The identity of the deceased and injured is still to be established. However, the police have disclosed that the owner of the house is among the victims.

As per Reuters, the latest attack follows a spate of shootings that shocked the nation last year.

In South Africa, murder rates are among the world's highest, with close to 20,000 people killed every year. As per the campaign group, Gun Free South Africa, the nation of 60 million people, has around 3 million registered and many more unregistered guns.

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