In short
- At least 11 people were killed when three gunmen opened fire on 14 people at a house in KwaMakhutha township, near Durban in South Africa, late on Tuesday.
- South African police said 10 victims died at the scene and a fourth died later in hospital from their injuries.
- Police said the information available suggested 13 men and one woman, believed to be pregnant, were having a party inside the house when the gunmen arrived.
- Police data shows South Africa’s murder rate is equivalent to more than 60 deaths a day, one of the highest in the world.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa said in February that organised crime was “the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development”.
At least 11 people were killed when three gunmen opened fire on 14 people at a house in KwaMakhutha township, near the South African city of Durban, late on Tuesday, police said. Ten victims died at the scene and a fourth died later in hospital from their injuries.
What did police say happened at the house?
Police said in a statement that the information available at that stage suggested 13 men and one woman, believed to be pregnant, were having a party inside the house when three men arrived and opened fire on them. The woman was among those killed. Police said they have launched a manhunt for the suspects.
What is known about the motive?
Police said the motive for the shooting had not yet been confirmed, and that they could not rule out a “feud between rival groupings”. They said some of the victims were on their watch in connection with illegal activities, which they could not “divulge at the moment to protect investigations which have been launched”.
What did a reporter at the scene see?
A local television reporter from the eNCA channel, who was at the scene, said the gunmen had set fire to a vehicle belonging to one of the victims before fleeing. Footage showed the burnt-out car.
How common are mass shootings in South Africa?
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with police data showing a rate equivalent to more than 60 deaths a day. Last year, nine people were killed in a mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg. In recent weeks, the discovery of at least nine murdered women, some of whose bodies were dumped by the roadside, has heightened fears in the country. Prosecutions after mass-casualty attacks have followed elsewhere: a Sri Lankan court jailed 15 men over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
What has the government said about organised crime?
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa said organised crime was “the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development”, as he announced he would deploy the army to support the police. Rivalry among criminal gangs over turf wars, drug trafficking and illegal mining is common in South Africa and often drives violence within communities.
Legal action over shootings has also reached civil courts in other jurisdictions, including a lawsuit filed by British Columbia against OpenAI over the Tumbler Ridge shooting.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the KwaMakhutha shooting?
At least 11 people were killed after three gunmen opened fire on 14 people at a house in KwaMakhutha township near Durban, South Africa, late on Tuesday. Police said 10 died at the scene and a fourth died later in hospital.
What do police know about the motive?
Police said the motive had not yet been confirmed and that they could not rule out a feud between rival groupings. They said some of the victims were on their watch in connection with illegal activities.
Has anyone been arrested for the shooting?
Police said they have launched a manhunt for the suspects. No arrests were announced in the statement.
How high is South Africa’s murder rate?
Police data shows a murder rate equivalent to more than 60 deaths a day, one of the highest in the world. Last year nine people were killed in a mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)