27 dead in two gun attacks in South Africa

A total of 27 people were killed in two serious gun attacks in South Africa within a few hours. 17 people were shot dead in a bar in Gauteng province on Saturday evening. Ten people were killed in another incident near Cape Town early Sunday morning. Many more people were injured.

In Wedela, a mining town southwest of Johannesburg, eight armed men opened fire on guests at a bar around 9:30 p.m. local time, according to police reports. The perpetrators first shot at people who were outside the bar and then continued their attack inside. They are said to have been armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols.

According to the police, the perpetrators searched some guests and took their cell phones, then fled in two vehicles. Two other vehicles were set on fire during the attack. The 17 fatalities included 13 men and four women. They were pronounced dead at the scene. 15 people suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Motives are unclear

According to available information, ten people were killed and eleven others injured in the second attack on a barbecue restaurant in the township of Lwandle near the coastal city of Cape Town.

In both cases, the motives for the crimes are still unclear, according to police. There were initially no arrests, but the suspects are being searched for. South Africa is one of the countries with a particularly high level of violent crime.