South African police have launched a manhunt for suspects after 17 people were found dead at a tavern southwest of Johannesburg, while a separate shooting at an entertainment venue near Cape Town left 10 dead. The two incidents, occurring overnight in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces, claimed at least 27 lives in total, highlighting the country's severe violent crime crisis.

In the first attack, eight gunmen armed with assault rifles opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, west of Johannesburg, at around 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday. According to Gauteng police, the attackers searched some patrons and took their cellphones before fleeing in two unidentified vehicles. Emergency services declared all 17 victims — 13 men and four women — dead at the scene, while 15 others were wounded. The South African Police Service (SAPS) stated that the suspects were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols, and that a motive for the shooting was not yet known.

In the second incident, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 more at an entertainment venue in Lwandle township, Western Cape, at 1:46 a.m. local time. Five victims died at the scene, and another five succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Police said no arrests have been made and that a multi-disciplinary team led by serious and violent crime detectives has been established to track down those responsible. Additional police resources have been deployed to the area as the search continues.

These attacks came just days after at least 11 people were gunned down at a home in KwaZulu-Natal Province, in the KwaMakhutha township about 30 kilometers south of Durban. South Africa is grappling with violent crime and has one of the world's highest murder rates, with around 60 people dying violently each day. In a separate case that has made international headlines, Johannesburg police are still trying to track down those responsible for a spate of killings in which the bodies of 10 women were found in close proximity. Police have identified similarities in some of the killings but said they had not found concrete evidence to suggest the same person or people were responsible.

DW correspondent Thuso Khumalo, reporting from the scene in Wedela, described a sense of shock and worry among residents. "People are very worried here," he said, noting the number of community members standing near the police cordon. Police suspect the attack was a retaliatory gang-related shooting, as one of the victims was already on their intelligence radar and was being investigated for a previous incident. Wedela is located in an area where security forces have cracked down on illegal mining, deploying police and soldiers.

Deputy provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana condemned the violence, stating: "The criminals think it's a fashion. They want to make it something which we need to get used to, but that cannot be allowed and tolerated." In March, South Africa's leadership deployed troops to hotspots to support police dealing with rampant criminality, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as one of the biggest challenges facing the country at present.

Source: www.dw.com