South African police launched a manhunt on Sunday after two separate mass shootings killed 27 people within hours of each other near Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The larger attack took place in Wedela, a township west of Johannesburg, where 17 people were killed and 15 were wounded at a tavern on Saturday night. The South African Police Service said the attackers were armed with assault rifles and handguns and fled after the shooting. No arrests had been announced by Sunday.
Second attack leaves 10 dead near Cape Town
Hours later, gunmen opened fire at an entertainment venue in Lwandle, outside Cape Town. Police said five people died at the scene and another five later died from their injuries. Eleven more people were receiving medical treatment.
Specialised investigative units have been assigned to both cases. Police said the motives were still being established and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Two investigations, one weekend of violence
The South African Police Service confirmed the Wedela death toll in an official statement and separately announced that a senior-led team had been established to investigate the Lwandle attack. The two incidents are not currently being treated as a single coordinated event.
Reuters reported that investigators were examining possible links to organised crime and local disputes, while stressing that no motive had been formally confirmed. South Africa has struggled with persistently high levels of violent crime, making the two shootings among the most serious incidents reported in the country this year.
Police said detectives were continuing searches for the attackers and had not announced arrests in either case as of Sunday.
