At least 12 people were killed in a mass shooting in the informal settlement of Cleveland, Johannesburg, police said on Tuesday night.
The attack left another nine people wounded, with emergency medical services treating gunshot injuries at the scene.
According to a police statement, more than 10 suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum near a petrol station in Cleveland before fleeing in the same vehicle after opening fire on residents and community members at multiple sites.
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, averaging around 60 deaths per day, and shootings in informal settlements are a common, often gang‑related problem.
Police responded to a “complaint of shooting in progress” at about 23:10 local time (21:10 GMT) and dispatched officers and emergency medical teams to the scene.
Eight men and three women were shot and died on site, while an additional man later died from his injuries in hospital. The nine other victims were taken to multiple medical facilities for treatment.
The motive behind the attack remains unknown and is part of the ongoing investigation, police said.
Last year, a separate mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg killed nine people, illustrating the city’s ongoing vulnerability to gun violence.
South Africa reportedly has about three million legally held firearms, with an estimated equal number of unlicensed weapons, according to the South African Gunowners’ Association.
