Police say eight unidentified men fired an AK‑47 and pistols into a tavern in Wedela township, killing 17 people on Saturday night. They first opened fire on patrons outside the establishment, then stormed the building and kept shooting inside. Emergency responders declared all 17 dead at the scene, while 15 others with gunshot wounds were rushed to hospitals.
The second attack unfolded at a convenience store in Lwandle near Cape Town at 1 a.m. Sunday, where gunmen shot 10 people to death and left several others wounded. The incident added to the weekend’s tally of 27 fatalities and 15 injuries.
These incidents follow an earlier house‑party shooting near Durban that killed 11, underscoring a disturbing spike in violent crime across the country. The three events occurred within weeks of each other, raising alarm among security officials.
Investigators are combing through CCTV footage and interviewing witnesses, while a manhunt continues for the suspects in Wedela; no arrests have been made so far. Police have called for calm in the affected communities and pledged a thorough probe.
Local residents describe the towns as unsettled and urge stronger policing. Authorities have promised to release a detailed report in the coming days as the hunt for the perpetrators remains a top priority.