South Africa police hunt suspects after 27 killed in two separate shootings

• Gang violence and organised crime remain rife in South Africa, ⁠despite government efforts to curb one of the highest per capita murder ​rates in the world, including by deploying the army in some areas.

A person reacts at the site of a shooting in Lwandle in the Western Cape, South Africa, September 27, 2026. REUTERS

South African police said 27 people were killed in two separate shootings within hours of each other, and they were hunting the perpetrators who attacked patrons at ​a tavern west of Johannesburg and at an entertainment venue east of ​Cape Town.

Gang violence and organised crime remain rife in South Africa, ⁠despite government efforts to curb one of the highest per capita murder ​rates in the world, including by deploying the army in some areas.

In Wedela township, about ​80 km (50 miles) from Johannesburg, 17 people were killed and 15 injured at a tavern, the South African Police Service said in a statement posted on X.

"Suspects were reportedly armed with ​AK-47 rifles and pistols," the statement said of the shooting, which occurred around ​9:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Saturday.

The motive was unclear and no arrests had been made, the statement ‌said.

In ⁠a separate attack in the township of Lwandle on the outskirts of Cape Town, gunmen opened fire in a venue selling grilled meat around 1:46 a.m. on Sunday, police said.

Five people died at the scene and another five died of injuries after being ​transported to medical ​facilities, while 11 ⁠others were receiving medical treatment, police said.

"Detectives are hard at work in search of the perpetrators of the shooting incident ​with no arrests effected yet," the statement said.

Crime is expected to ​be ⁠a major issue for voters in municipal elections in November, when the African National Congress is facing further erosion of voter support.

A shooting at a house party near Durban last ⁠week killed ​11 people, while a series of women's bodies found ​near Johannesburg since July has renewed fear and anger over high rates of femicide.