Archive · 28 Sep 2026
South Africa Shootings Kill 31 Across Townships in One Weekend
Several shootings happened in South African townships over one weekend.
One attack at a tavern in Wedela killed 17 people and hurt 15.
Another attack at a venue in Lwandle killed 10 people and injured 11.
A third shooting in Khayelitsha killed four people.
Together, these attacks killed 31 people, although another report described only two shootings and counted 27 deaths.
Police are searching for the attackers and have not arrested anyone.
Investigators think the Wedela attack might be connected to illegal mining gangs.
They are also examining whether competition between alcohol businesses led to the Lwandle attack.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the violence must be stopped.
Three reported shootings in Gauteng and the Western Cape killed 31 people over roughly 12 hours, according to one account.
The Wedela tavern attack killed 17 people and wounded 15 after gunmen opened fire Saturday evening.
In Lwandle, 10 people died and 11 were injured at an entertainment venue early Sunday.
Four people were killed in a separate Saturday evening shooting in Khayelitsha near Cape Town.
Police had made no arrests; possible motives included an illegal-mining turf war and rivalry between alcohol venues.
- Who
- Unidentified gunmen attacked patrons and other people in Wedela, Lwandle and Khayelitsha; police are searching for suspects.
- What
- Three reported shootings killed 31 people and injured at least 26 others, although one report described two shootings killing 27 people.
- When
- The shootings occurred on Saturday evening and early Sunday morning, within roughly 12 hours.
- Where
- The attacks occurred in Wedela near Johannesburg, Lwandle near Cape Town, and Khayelitsha in the Western Cape.
- Why
- Motives had not been confirmed; investigators were considering an illegal-mining turf war in Wedela and possible rivalry between alcohol venues in Lwandle.
Proposed Explanations
Investigative Caution
Wedela motive
Proposed Explanations
Police said an illegal-mining turf war was one line of inquiry, and the attack may have been retaliation for an earlier shooting at the same tavern.
Investigative Caution
The motive had not been established, and police had not confirmed that illegal mining caused the attack.
Lwandle motive
Proposed Explanations
Police suggested business jealousy or rivalry between alcohol venues might have prompted the shooting, because customers reportedly bought drinks cheaply elsewhere before visiting the venue.
Investigative Caution
Police stressed that this was only an early theory and had not confirmed the motive.
Number of attacks
Proposed Explanations
One report described three separate shootings, including four deaths in Khayelitsha, for a combined toll of 31.
Investigative Caution
Another report described two shootings near Johannesburg and Cape Town, reporting 27 deaths; the accounts therefore differ on the number of incidents and victims.
- Reported death toll
- One account reported 31 deaths across three shootings; another reported 27 deaths across two shootings.
- Wedela attack
- Seventeen people were killed and 15 wounded at a tavern on Saturday evening.
- Lwandle attack
- Ten people were killed and 11 injured at an entertainment venue around 2:00 a.m. Sunday.
- Khayelitsha attack
- Four people were killed in a shooting at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday.
- Locations
- The shootings were reported in Gauteng and the Western Cape, near Johannesburg and Cape Town.
- Possible motives
- Police examined an illegal-mining turf war and possible business rivalry involving alcohol venues.
- Investigation status
- No arrests had been announced, and police were conducting a manhunt.
