At Least 10 Killed In Shooting near Johannesburg, Police Say

GOOBJOOG NEWS | JOHANNESBURG: At least 10 people were killed and 10 others wounded in a shooting in a township near Johannesburg on Sunday, South African police said, in the country’s second mass shooting this month.

The attack took place in Bekkersdal, about 40 km southwest of Johannesburg, near a tavern in an impoverished area close to major gold mines. Police said some victims were shot at random in the streets by unknown gunmen. No arrests were immediately announced and the motive remained unclear.

“Ten people are dead. We don’t have a breakdown of who they are,” Gauteng province police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said.

The wounded were taken to hospital. Police said the shooting occurred at a site that was illegally selling alcohol.

The incident follows a Dec. 6 attack in which gunmen stormed a hostel near Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three-year-old child, highlighting ongoing concerns over violent crime.

South Africa, with a population of about 63 million, has one of the world’s highest murder rates, and repeated mass shootings have intensified calls for tougher law enforcement and community safety measures.

Additional reporting by agencies.