Gunmen kill nine in South Africa tavern attack

A manhunt continues after a shooting attack in a South African tavern that left nine people dead and 10 injured.

Seven men and two women were killed in Bekkersdal, near Johannesburg, after about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles and opened fire on customers, police said.

The shooting took place around 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT on Saturday) and the perpetrators “continued to shoot randomly” [people] He fled the scene,” the police added.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. According to police figures, an average of 63 people were killed every day between April and September this year.

Homicides are often the result of arguments, robberies, and gang violence. The reason for this murder is unclear.

At the scene, state deputy police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the perpetrators, armed with pistols and an AK-47, were “unprovoked”.

“The poor patrons were just having fun while people were coming and shooting,” he said.

Major General Kekana added that two of the victims were shot outside the tavern as they tired to escape, and the third was a taxi driver who dropped off a passenger nearby.

Speaking to Newzroom Africa, a resident described how gunshots at night have become a normal thing in Bekkersdal.

“Criminals do whatever they want here,” said the unnamed man.

“These guns go off every evening… As soon as it gets dark, we know the gunshots are about to come and it’s going to be very loud.

“It terrorizes our communities.”

According to statistics cited by Gideon Joubert of the South African Gun Owners Association, there are approximately three million firearms legally held in South Africa, but at least the same number of unlicensed guns are in circulation in the country.

Earlier this month, At least 11 people, including a child, were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria..