Two Mass Shootings in South African Townships Kill at Least 27 People in Four Hours, Following Durban Attack That Killed 11 Earlier This Week

Two separate mass shootings in South African townships within hours of each other left at least 27 people dead on Saturday night and early Sunday, September 27, 2026, according to police. Eight gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg, late Saturday night, killing 17 people and wounding 15. Around four hours later, 10 people were killed and 11 wounded in a shooting at a store linked to an entertainment venue in Lwandle township near Cape Town. No arrests have been made in either case. The attacks came five days after another mass shooting in KwaMakhutha township near Durban killed at least 11 people, including a pregnant woman, when multiple gunmen attacked a house party on September 23. Police deployed specialized units to both townships and surrounding areas in the hunt for the gunmen. The spate of mass shootings has shocked a country already accustomed to some of the highest homicide rates in the world. South Africa recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 alone, an average of more than 70 per day, with firearms the leading cause of death. Estimates suggest between 2 million and 6 million illegal firearms are in circulation, and those weapons are used in the vast majority of gun homicides. The attacks highlight the persistent challenge of violent crime in South Africa despite government efforts, including military deployments during previous periods of unrest. For a country with a murder rate of 45 per 100,000 according to 2023-24 UN figures, these incidents underscore the gap between law enforcement capacity and the scale of armed violence in townships.