Police are searching for gunmen responsible for two mass shootings that left 27 people dead and 26 others wounded in Gauteng and the Western Cape over the weekend.
Eyewitness News reported that 17 people were killed and 15 wounded at a tavern in Wedela on Gauteng’s West Rand on Saturday night. A separate shooting at an entertainment venue in Lwandle, Cape Town, left 10 people dead and 11 wounded early on Sunday.
Eight suspects sought in Wedela
Gauteng police have launched a manhunt for eight suspects linked to the Wedela shooting.
EWN reports that 13 men and four women were killed. Police said the attackers were armed with rifles and pistols and allegedly opened fire on patrons before fleeing in two vehicles.
SAPS officially confirmed that 17 people were killed in the tavern attack and that a manhunt was underway.
The motive remains unknown and no arrests had been announced at the time of publication.
Lwandle shooting leaves 10 dead
In Lwandle, police said two gunmen entered an entertainment venue shortly before 2am on Sunday and opened fire on patrons.
Ten people, eight men and two women, were killed, while 11 others were wounded. Western Cape police established a team led by Serious Violent Crime detectives to investigate the attack.
Police said no arrests had been made and deployments in the area had been increased.
Ramaphosa calls for stronger action
President Cyril Ramaphosa said security forces had been instructed to intensify efforts against rising violent crime, according to EWN.
“Violence and criminality continue to spread in our country,” Ramaphosa said, adding that this was the level of criminality authorities needed to reduce.
Investigations into both shootings remain ongoing, with police working to identify and arrest those responsible.