South Africa has been rocked by a horrific shooting that claimed the lives of 12 people overnight near Johannesburg. Local police reported that gunmen stormed an informal settlement and opened fire on residents, marking another grim mass shooting in the crime-weary country.
Details of the Attack
The shootings occurred before midnight on Tuesday in the impoverished Jumpers settlement, an area of metal shacks located about six kilometres east of the Johannesburg city centre, near an abandoned gold mine. According to a police spokeswoman, around 10 attackers were driven to the settlement and dropped off before storming the area through both entrances. They moved through the settlement, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations, and then fled in the same vehicle.
Casualties and Investigation
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi stated that preliminary investigations revealed 12 people died as a result of the attack. Eight adult males and three adult females were declared dead at the scene, and one person died in hospital. Police have not yet determined a motive, and no arrests have been made. However, provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni expressed suspicions that the attack may be linked to competition over illegal mining in the area. He described the incident as "insane," "heartless," and "barbaric."
Context of Violence
South Africa is awash with legal and illegal firearms, and shootings are common, often fuelled by gang rivalry and competition between informal businesses. Illegal mining draws people from across southern Africa and has been linked to organised crime, assassinations, extortion, and other illegal activities. Clandestine artisanal miners, known as zama zamas (meaning "those who try" in Zulu), have become entrenched in shantytowns around Johannesburg, descending into abandoned gold shafts driven by poverty and unemployment.
Previous Incidents
In a similar mass shooting linked to rivalry between illegal mining gangs, nine people were killed in December when gunmen opened fire at a bar in the impoverished Bekkersdal township southwest of Johannesburg. In March, soldiers were deployed to violence hotspots in Johannesburg to support police efforts to tackle rampant crime, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as one of the biggest threats facing the country.
