Death toll in South Africa bar shooting rises to 18, police say

South Africa is awash with legal and illegal firearms, and shootings are common, often fuelled by gang rivalry, extortion and competition between informal businesses.

Death toll in South Africa bar shooting rises to 18, police say
Liberal News
Publish: 28.09.2026
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South Africa tavern shooting death toll rises to 18

The death toll from a mass shooting at a tavern in South Africa has risen to 18 after another victim died in hospital, police said Monday.

Authorities said at least two of those killed were nationals of Lesotho.

The attack took place late Saturday at a bar in Wedela, a semi-rural township about 80 kilometres from central Johannesburg. Police said eight gunmen armed with assault rifles entered the venue and opened fire, killing 13 men and four women.

“One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18,” police said.

Only four of the victims have so far been identified: two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.

The motive for the attack has not been established. The area has reportedly been affected by rivalry between gangs involved in illegal gold mining.

Thousands of unregistered miners work in abandoned mine shafts across South Africa. Many come from other parts of southern Africa, including neighbouring Lesotho.

Illegal mining has been associated with organised crime, assassinations and other illicit activities.

The Wedela shooting was part of a deadly weekend of violence in South Africa. In a separate incident early Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 others at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town.

Legal and illegal firearms are widespread in South Africa, where shootings are common and are often linked to gang rivalries, extortion and competition between informal businesses.

The country, with a population of around 62 million, has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with approximately 60 people killed each day.

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