South African authorities have launched a manhunt after a group of armed assailants stormed a bar in Olievenhoutbosch, a township near the capital Pretoria, killing five people and injuring three others. According to police, the attack occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT) on Friday night.
Around 10 unidentified gunmen entered the tavern and opened fire on patrons without uttering a word, in what appears to have been a random and unprovoked assault.
The incident adds to the growing wave of mass shootings in South Africa, a country grappling with high levels of violent crime.
On average, more than 75 murders are recorded daily, prompting national concern over public safety and the proliferation of illegal firearms. Three men and two women were killed.
“The motive for the shooting is unknown at this stage,” police said in a statement. Shootings are common in South Africa, often fuelled by gang violence and alcohol. Many people own licenced fire arms for personal protection, yet there are many more illegal guns in circulation.
A national security strategy published this week warned that crime syndicates may evolve to use “more dangerous and sophisticated weapons”. “If the problem of gangsterism is not addressed, gangs will continue to occupy social spaces and create no-go areas and in turn fuel vigilantism as (communities) attempt to reclaim spaces and protect themselves from crimes perpetrated by gangs,” the redacted report said.
There were more than 27,600 murders in South Africa in the 2023-2024 financial year, according to police statistics, with most of the victims being young, black men in urban areas.
https://news360ng.com/five-killed-three-injured-in-mass-shooting-at-south-african-bar/
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