At least 27 people were killed in two mass shootings in South Africa’s two main cities, police said on Sunday.
The first incident occurred on Saturday evening when eight men armed with assault rifles stormed a bar west of Johannesburg and shot 17 people and injured 15 others.
The suspects opened fire on patrons who were drinking outside, then went inside to continue shooting, police said, where they killed 13 men and four women.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown, police said, adding that the suspects set two vehicles on fire before fleeing.
In another shooting at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town early Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and injured 11 others.
Five of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene while the others succumbed to their injuries while being transported to hospital.
No suspects have been arrested in either case, police said.
The attacks come as South Africa, awash in legal and illegal firearms, grapples with persistent gun violence, often linked to gang rivalries and competition between informal businesses.
This country of around 62 million people records around 60 murders per day, one of the highest rates in the world.
In March, soldiers visited violent areas in Johannesburg to support police efforts in combating rampant crime, described by President Cyril Ramaphosa as one of the biggest threats facing the country.
South Africa has repeatedly turned to the military in times of crisis, from enforcing strict Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 to deploying troops during deadly riots sparked by the imprisonment of ex-President Jacob Zuma in 2021.
Soldiers were also sent to the streets in 2023 after a wave of truck fires raised fears of wider unrest.
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