South African police have launched a manhunt after a heavily armed group carried out a late-night mass shooting at an informal settlement in Johannesburg’s Cleveland, killing 12 people and wounding at least nine as investigators work to determine the motive.
Police said more than 10 suspects entered the Jumpers Informal Settlement in the suburb of Cleveland late on Tuesday night armed with rifles.
The group allegedly moved through the settlement, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing in a white vehicle.
Authorities believe the suspects were dropped off near a petrol station in the area and that they later escaped in the same vehicle.
Police said eight men and three women died at the scene, while another man died in hospital. At least nine other people were taken to medical facilities for treatment of gunshot wounds.
Officials said the motive remains unclear.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said provincial and district detectives, supported by crime intelligence and forensic experts, have been mobilised to investigate the incident and track down the suspects, but no arrests had been reported as of Wednesday.
Community members believe the attack may have been driven by a turf war involving groups of illegal miners operating in and around Johannesburg.
Illegal mining has expanded in South Africa, where disused gold mines are targeted by networks that extract ore and sell findings through illicit channels.
The activity has increasingly been linked to violence, including armed conflict between rival groups competing for control of sites and routes.
Mass shootings in South Africa have become a recurring feature of the country’s violence landscape, with attacks sometimes occurring in informal settlements where access to protection and emergency response can be limited.
Police and analysts have previously associated some shootings in these communities with gang violence, criminal disputes, and the ripple effects of organised illicit economies such as illegal mining.
JN/APA