Death toll in South African bar shooting rises to 18 — Euronews

The death toll from a mass shooting at a bar in the settlement of Wedela west of Johannesburg, South Africa, has risen to 18. Another victim died in hospital, police said.

Attack in Wedela

The attack took place late on Saturday evening in the semi-rural settlement of Wedela, about 80 kilometres from central Johannesburg. According to Euronews, eight attackers armed with assault rifles stormed the bar.

Police said that 13 men and four women were killed in the attack. Following the death of another victim in hospital, the death toll reached 18. Law enforcement officers identified four of those killed: two South African citizens and two citizens of Lesotho.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Motive not established

The motive for the shooting has not yet been established. The outlet reports that there is rivalry in the area between groups linked to illegal gold mining. Thousands of unregistered prospectors work in abandoned mines in South Africa, including people from other countries in southern Africa and Lesotho.

That same weekend, in another shooting, armed people killed 10 people and wounded another 11 at an entertainment venue in a settlement near Cape Town. Both legal and illegal firearms are widespread in South Africa, and shootings are often linked to gang rivalry, extortion and competition between informal businesses.