Crime & Public Safety
South Africa shootings death toll rises to 28
The death toll from two weekend mass shootings in South Africa has risen to 28 after one victim of a tavern attack west of Johannesburg died in hospital, police said Monday.
Police said eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed a bar in the semi-rural township of Wedela, about 80 kilometres from central Johannesburg, late Saturday. The attack killed 18 people and wounded 18 others.
Police said only four of the dead had been identified so far: two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.
The motive for the Wedela attack was not clear. Police said it may have been retaliation for an incident at the same tavern in August, when one person was killed and another was wounded.
In a separate shooting early Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 more at an eating and drinking venue in Lwandle, a township outside Cape Town. Police said it was not clear what prompted that attack, though one official said it may have been linked to business rivalry.
Police said there had been no arrests in either mass killing.
South Africa has high levels of gun violence and records about 60 murders a day in a population of around 62 million people, according to police. Julian Rademeyer, an adviser for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, said there had been at least 41 mass killings in the country this year, with 196 deaths.
Update
Police said 18 people were wounded in the Wedela tavern attack.
Police said there had been no arrests in either weekend mass killing.
Julian Rademeyer of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime said South Africa had recorded at least 41 mass killings this year, with 196 deaths.
The Wedela tavern owner told local journalists the area was affected by rivalry between gangs involved in illicit gold mining.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 September 2026 at 09:08:10 UTC.
Update
The Wedela tavern shooting death toll rose from 17 to 18 after one victim died in hospital.
Police said at least two of the dead were Lesotho nationals.
Police said only four of the dead had been identified: two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 September 2026 at 06:46:46 UTC.
Update
President Cyril Ramaphosa said security forces would continue efforts to bring down criminality and violence.
Police said the Johannesburg attackers used assault rifles and pistols.
Police said two of the 10 people killed in the Cape Town shooting were female.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 September 2026 at 12:27:11 UTC.
Update
Police said the Johannesburg attack appeared to have been retaliation for an incident last month, though the motive was still unknown.
Police said one of the Johannesburg victims was being sought in connection with an earlier incident at the same tavern.
Deputy provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana said police had clear pictures of the suspects.
The Wedela area was described as a focus of a government crackdown on illegal mining.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 September 2026 at 09:15:22 UTC.
Update
Police said at least 27 people were killed across the two South Africa mass shootings.
Police said no suspect had been arrested in either case.
Police said the Johannesburg attackers opened fire on customers outside before moving inside to continue shooting.
Police said five Cape Town victims died at the scene and the others died while being taken to hospital.
The item adds broader context on legal and illegal firearms and persistent gun violence in South Africa.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 September 2026 at 07:32:16 UTC.
Update
Police identified the Cape Town shooting location as an entertainment venue in Lwandle.
Police said gunmen entered the venue at 1:46 a.m. and shot at patrons.
Police said five of the victims died at the scene.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 September 2026 at 06:08:28 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The motives for both weekend mass shootings have not been established.
Police had identified only four of the 18 people killed in the Wedela attack at the time of reporting.
Source
AFP news report published on .