Gunmen kill nine in South Africa tavern attack

South African police say a manhunt is under way after a shooting at a tavern left nine people dead and another 10 injured in a township near Johannesburg.

They say about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two cars in Bekkersdal, “opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene”.

The shooting happened at about 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT Saturday). The police added that the tavern was licensed.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, at 45 people per 100,000 according to 2023-24 figures from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people – including a child – were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria.