Eight gunmen reportedly opened fire at a bar in Wedela, west of Johannesburg, killing 17 people and injuring 15 others. The attack, which targeted customers both outside and inside the venue, has prompted a manhunt amid concerns about escalating violence linked to organised crime and illegal mining networks.

The victims comprised 13 men and four women; five died at the scene and others later succumbed to their injuries. Police said the attackers took patrons’ mobile phones, torched two vehicles and fled, while possible motives include robbery, retaliation or a turf dispute. The shooting followed separate mass shootings in Durban and near Cape Town, in which 11 and 10 people respectively were killed; no arrests had been made at the time of reporting.