A chilling scene unfolded in Johannesburg’s **Jumpers Informal Settlement** on Tuesday night when a group of at least ten heavily‑armed suspects burst in and opened fire, killing **12 people** and wounding another nine.
Police officials say the suspects, armed with rifles, entered the settlement through multiple entrances and then drove a white Toyota Quantum to flee the scene. Reports indicate the vehicle was abandoned near a petrol station in the Cleveland suburb.
The attack, described by police as “heartless” and “barbaric,” left eight men, three women and one man who later died from his injuries. The victims were taken to several hospitals for treatment.
In a statement that accompanies the investigation, the police added that they had yet to determine the motive. Local authorities raised a suspicion that the shooting could be tied to the ongoing turf wars amongst illegal mining groups in the vicinity.
Lt Gen Tommy Mthombeni, commissioner of provincial police, emphasised that the area is close to an illegal mining hotspot and hinted that the motive might be linked to “barbaric” acts behind unofficial operations, accusing the attack of being a horrific crime.
Illegal mining in South Africa is a lucrative yet violent informal sector, with reports linking it to an escalating arms trade. The country has one of the world’s highest murder rates, and access to firearms—both legally owned (approximately 3 million) and unlicensed (at least 3 million)—remains rampant.
The government has deployed military forces to several communities to curb illegal mining activities; last year a mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg also claimed nine lives.
The search for the suspects is ongoing. Police are following all possible leads, the statement concluded, as they work to bring the perpetrators to justice and address the underlying violence associated with the region’s mining economy.
