17 killed in shooting inside a bar in South Africa.. police chase armed attackers

- The police in South Africa launched a manhunt on Sunday for gunmen after 17 people were killed and 15 others injured in a shooting that occurred in a town outside Johannesburg. The police stated that 8 unknown men opened fire on people who were having drinks outside a bar in Wedela in the West Rand area on Saturday evening local time, before entering the venue and "continuing to shoot at those inside."

Officials reported that the suspected attackers were armed with handguns and AK-47 rifles. Fifteen people with gunshot wounds were transported to medical facilities for treatment.

The South African Police wrote on the platform "X" (formerly Twitter): "It is alleged that people were having drinks inside and outside the bar when the suspects arrived and opened fire on those outside. The suspects then entered the bar and continued shooting at those inside."

The police added that the attackers searched some of the people at the scene and confiscated their mobile phones before fleeing the site in two unknown vehicles. The police stated that no one has been arrested so far.

Mass shootings are not uncommon in South Africa. Last week, 11 people were killed, including a woman believed to be pregnant, when gunmen opened fire inside a house south of Durban.

In June, 12 people were killed in an informal residential area (shantytown) located in a suburb of Johannesburg. The latest police statistics show that the average number of murders in South Africa reached 58 people daily during the period from January to March 2026.