At least 12 people have been killed after gunmen attacked an informal settlement near Johannesburg in the latest mass shooting to hit South Africa.
According to South African police, the attack occurred late Tuesday night in the Jumpers settlement, an impoverished community of metal shacks located near abandoned gold mining sites where illegal miners reportedly operate.
Police said about 10 armed attackers arrived in a vehicle before entering the settlement through different access points and opening fire on residents at multiple locations.
“The suspects allegedly entered the informal settlement through both entrances and moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle,” police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said.
Authorities confirmed that 12 people died in the attack, including eight men and three women who were declared dead at the scene, while another victim later died in hospital.
Police said investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been made so far. However, officials suspect the killings may be linked to rivalry surrounding illegal mining operations in the area.
Provincial police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said the settlement is located close to illegal mining sites, raising suspicions about possible criminal disputes.
“As you know, this area is adjacent to the illegal mining area. We are having those suspicions,” Mthombeni told reporters.
He described the attack as “insane,” “heartless,” and “barbaric.”
Authorities also revealed that police had recently conducted operations in the area, recovering firearms and AK-47 ammunition while arresting three suspects linked to illegal activities.
Illegal mining has become a major security challenge in South Africa, particularly around Johannesburg, where abandoned gold mines attract thousands of undocumented artisanal miners known locally as “zama zamas,” a Zulu term meaning “those who try.”
The illegal mining networks have increasingly been associated with organised crime, extortion, violent turf wars, and deadly shootings.
In December, nine people were killed in another mass shooting linked to illegal mining rivalries in Bekkersdal, southwest of Johannesburg.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously described violent crime as one of the country’s biggest threats, prompting the deployment of soldiers earlier this year to support police operations in crime hotspots.
