South Africa's weekend mass shooting death toll rises to 28 as manhunt for gunmen continues

From the Newshound archive · first published 27 September 2026 · last updated 28 September 2026.

A 28th victim has died in hospital, bringing the combined death toll from two separate mass shootings that struck South African townships within hours of each other on Saturday night. At a bar in Wedela township near Johannesburg, eight gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols shot dead 18 people and wounded 15; a second attack in Lwandle outside Cape Town killed 10. No arrests have been made in either case, though specialised police units have been deployed to both areas. The attacks came just five days after a house party near Durban was targeted by gunmen who killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman.

Police believe the Wedela bar attack may be linked to turf wars between illegal mining gangs, who had previously targeted the township.

Witness Kamvalethu Galada said she thought the Lwandle shots were fireworks and kept dancing until 'bodies were laying around us, bodies laying on top of other people that are literally alive.'

Gunmen searched victims for mobile phones and torched two cars before fleeing both scenes, with no suspects yet identified.