Gunmen Kill 11 in South African Township

Eleven people, including a pregnant woman, have been killed after gunmen attacked a homestead in KwaMakhutha township south of Durban, South Africa, the head of the provincial government said on Wednesday.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli said the victims were gathered at a house shortly before 11 pm on Tuesday when the attackers entered the premises and opened fire.

“The victims, including a pregnant woman, were gathered at a house shortly before 11:00 pm (2100 GMT Tuesday) when armed assailants reportedly entered the premises and opened fire,” Thamsanqa Ntuli told AFP.

Police said three other people survived the shooting.

The motive for the attack had not been established, according to police, although investigators said they were pursuing a promising lead that could help identify those responsible.

Local television station eNCA reported that the gunmen forced everyone into a room before shooting them and later set fire to a car belonging to one of the victims.

The attack has left residents of the township in shock and mourning.

One resident, quoted by eNCA, said some of the victims were people he had grown up with and described the incident as difficult to believe.

“It’s shocking and sad. These are guys I grew up with. I can’t believe it. It’s like a movie,” the broadcaster cited a local resident as saying.

“I’ve been staying here all my life, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” he added.

Acting police chief Puleng Dimpane said she had launched a 72-hour operation to track down and arrest those responsible.

She directed police to deploy available resources and pursue the suspects until they are brought before the courts.

“There is no place in our communities for the senseless taking of human lives. Police must act decisively, mobilise all available resources and pursue those responsible until they are brought before the courts,” she said in a statement.

South Africa has a high rate of violent crime, with around 60 people killed each day in a population of about 62 million.

The country has both legal and illegal firearms, while shootings are often linked to gang disputes and competition involving informal businesses.

In March, soldiers were deployed to violence hotspots across South Africa to support police efforts to tackle crime, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as one of the country’s biggest threats.