At least 27 people were killed and 26 others injured in two separate mass shootings in South Africa over the week-end.
On Saturday, September 26, 2026, eight gunmen armed with assault rifles attacked a bar in Wedela, west of Johannesburg, killing 17 people and injuring 15 others. Police said the assailants fired at customers outside before entering the venue and continuing the attack.
The suspects later set two vehicles ablaze before escaping. Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana said investigators had obtained clear images of the attackers. Although the motive remained unknown, police suspected the shooting might have been retaliation for an incident at the same tavern in August 2026.
In a separate attack early on Sunday, September 27, 2026, gunmen opened fire at an entertainment venue outside Cape Town, killing 10 people and injuring 11. Five victims died at the scene, while the others succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital. No arrests have been made in connection with either shooting.
The incidents followed another mass shooting in Durban, where gunmen killed 11 people at a house party in the week ending September 27, 2026. Police are also investigating the deaths of 10 women in a Johannesburg municipality over the past two months.