Atโค Least 11 Killed in South Africa Hostel Shooting
Johannesburg – At least 11 peopleโข wereโ killed in aโข shooting at a hostelโข in Nomzamo, South Africa, on Sunday, localโข authorities have confirmed. Teh attack is the latest in a string of mass shootings that haveโ 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 โขgrappling with entrenchedโ crime and corruption driven by organised networks.โ Many people own licensed firearms for โขpersonal protection, butโข there are many moreโข illegal guns in circulation.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwaโ stated that the shooting occurred around 8 pm local time. “Police are on scene and investigations are โunderway. The motive for the shooting is unknown at this โคstage,” she said.
Theโค incident follows severalโ mass shootings at bars – sometimes called shebeens or taverns -โ in recent years, including one that killed 16 โpeople in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022.โข On the same day as the hostel shooting, โคfour people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in another province.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said mass shootings at โขunlicensed bars were becoming a serious problem. โBetween April and September this year, police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns andโ arrested โover 18,000 people forโ involvement in illegal liquor sales, according โto โขpolice.
AFP/AP
