At least 12 people have been killed and nine injured in a mass shooting at an informal settlement in Cleveland, near Johannesburg, South African police have said. A manhunt is under way for more than 10 suspects who are believed to have been dropped off in a white Toyota Quantum late on Tuesday night before opening fire on residents and fleeing in the same vehicle.
Police said eight men and three women were among the dead, with 11 dying at the scene and a 12th person succumbing to injuries in hospital. Officers responded to a report of a shooting in progress at around 11.10pm local time (10.20pm BST). The suspects allegedly entered the settlement through both entrances and moved through the area, shooting at multiple locations.
Gauteng police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni described the killings as “heartless” and “barbaric” after visiting the scene on Wednesday morning. He said a motive had not yet been confirmed, but illegal mining in the area was a possible cause. “It is a worrying factor that we find ourselves back here today, but we have not lost the fight against illegal mining,” he said, adding that disruptive operations could halt the problem.
One witness told local broadcaster eNCA that gunfire rang out for more than an hour while she hid in a toilet. The woman, who feared for her life, said a community leader had been shot dead the previous month and that the feud was suspected to be linked to illegal mining. “I don’t want to say anything because tomorrow, you might find it will be me. It’s really painful that people were killed like dogs,” she said.
Security strategist Andy Mashaile suggested the attack had been carefully planned. “There was proper coordination and resources organised. It sounds that there was a command and control structure from the cordoning of the area by blocking the entrance and exits and shooting from that angle,” he said. “The probability is highly that it is a contested terrain between the illicit mining gangs.”
The killings come amid South Africa’s persistently high murder rate, which averages about 60 per day. Informal settlements, often consisting of shacks, are common across the country, and the police statement said the suspects were dropped off near a petrol station in Cleveland before entering the settlement.
