Gunmen have killed nine people and injured ten others in a shooting at a township outside Johannesburg, South African police said on Sunday.
The attack marks the second mass shooting in the country this month.
The incident occurred in Bekkersdal, about 40 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg, though the motive for the attack remains unclear, police told AFP.
“Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,” police said in a statement.
Initially, police spokesperson for Gauteng province, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, told AFP that ten people had died, but authorities later confirmed that nine fatalities had been recorded.
The shooting took place near a tavern or informal bar in Bekkersdal, an impoverished area located close to several of South Africa’s major gold mines. The injured victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Earlier this month, on December 6, gunmen attacked a hostel near Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three-year-old child. Police said that incident occurred at a location that was illegally selling alcohol.
South Africa, with a population of about 63 million, continues to grapple with high levels of violent crime and has one of the highest murder rates globally.