At least 12 people were killed and nine injured on Tuesday evening when gunmen opened fire at an informal settlement in Cleveland, east of Johannesburg, police said on Wednesday.
Police believe more than 10 suspects were dropped off in a minibus in an informal settlement in the Cleveland suburb of Johannesburg late Tuesday night and opened fire on people.
Eight men and three women were killed in the attack, according to South African broadcaster eNCAnews.
The suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum and entered the settlement from two access points, before fleeing in the same vehicle after carrying out the mass shooting.
The motive for the attack remains unknown.
Informal settlements in South Africa are unplanned residential areas usually made up of shacks or similar structures.
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, averaging about 60 a day.
“It is alleged that more than 10 suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum near a petrol station in Cleveland,” the police statement reads.
“The suspects allegedly entered the informal settlement through both entrances and moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.”
Local officers responded to a “complaint of shooting in progress” at around 11:10pm local time on Tuesday (10:20pm BST).
This is a breaking news story, more to follow…
