The death toll from a mass shooting at a tavern west of Johannesburg has risen to 18 after another victim died in hospital, South African police said on Monday.
Police said at least two of those killed were nationals of neighbouring Lesotho, as the country continued to grapple with a deadly weekend of gun violence.
Eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the tavern late Saturday in Wedela, a semi-rural township about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from central Johannesburg, killing 13 men and four women, police said.
“One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18,” police said in a statement.
Only four of the victims had been formally identified, including two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.
The motive for the attack remained unclear, although the area is reportedly affected by rivalry among gangs involved in illegal gold mining.
Thousands of unlicensed miners operate in abandoned mine shafts across South Africa, with many coming from other southern African countries, including Lesotho, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa.
Illegal mining has been linked to organised crime, assassinations and other violent activities.
The Johannesburg-area shooting was one of two mass shootings reported in South Africa over the weekend.
In a separate attack early Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 others at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town.
South Africa has widespread access to both legal and illegal firearms, while shootings are frequently linked to gang conflicts, extortion and competition among informal businesses.
The country, with a population of about 62 million, has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with roughly 60 people killed every day.
AFP
