At Least 11 Killed in South Africa Hostel Shooting
Johannesburg – At least 11 people were killed in a shooting at a hostel in Nomzamo, South Africa, on Sunday, local authorities have confirmed. Teh attack is the latest in a string of mass shootings that have shocked the crime-weary country of 63 million people.
South africa has recorded more then 26,000 homicides in 2024 – an average of more than 70 a day. The continent’s most industrialised nation is grappling with entrenched crime and corruption driven by organised networks. Many people own licensed firearms for personal protection, but there are many more illegal guns in circulation.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa stated that the shooting occurred around 8 pm local time. “Police are on scene and investigations are underway. The motive for the shooting is unknown at this stage,” she said.
The incident follows several mass shootings at bars – sometimes called shebeens or taverns - in recent years, including one that killed 16 people in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022. On the same day as the hostel shooting, four people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in another province.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said mass shootings at unlicensed bars were becoming a serious problem. Between April and September this year, police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns and arrested over 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales, according to police.
AFP/AP
