A terrible mass shooting in Bekkersdal township, South Africa, has caused the death of at least nine people and 10 were injured. Cops are after the gunmen who opened fire on patrons at a licensed tavern in the early hours of Sunday. The rise of such incidents especially in the form of shootings has stirred a serious debate regarding the levels of violence in South Africa which is frequently attributed to organized crime and business rivalries in the country.
Gunmen Attack Tavern in South Africas Bekkersdal Township
On Sunday early morning, tragedy befell the people of Bekkersdal, South Africa, when a rampage shooting at a licensed tavern caused the death of at least nine people, and ten others were wounded. The assault on the tavern occurred just before 1 AM local time (23:00 GMT), when a dozen or so masked assailants in a white minibus and a silver sedan reportedly started shooting at random at the taverns patrons and people who were nearby.
The attackers were said to have opened fire on the victims without any kind of warning and then run off in their vehicles. Even though there is little information about the suspects, the South African police have started a manhunt for them to arrest those who are responsible for this lethal attack.
Police Response and Investigation
The area police and authorities dispatched various teams to the scene right after the horrible mass shooting to start their inquiry. Fred Kekana, Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner, in his briefing said that the national crime scene management unit, criminal record center, crime intelligence as well as the provincial detective team are all at the scene. According to Kekana the police are still trying to get as many eyewitness accounts as possible and, of course, they are continuing to look for more clues in the area.
In addition, Kekana informed that one of the victims was a driver of a ride, hailing service who was waiting outside the tavern when the shooting started. Besides, the injured people are being treated at the local hospitals. Although the perpetrators’ reason for the shooting is still a mysterious puzzle, the police holding no bars and making every effort to find any leads, which, if at all, would eventually unmask the culprits.
Violence in South Africa: A Growing Concern
The shooting constitutes the latest violent attack in South Africa, which has been battling high crime rates. Several weeks before, armed assailants attacked an unlicensed tavern in Saulsville township, near Pretoria, where 12 people, including a young child, were shot dead. While in many cases the shootings go without clear motives, in most instances, they are attributed to the criminal syndicates or disputes amongst counterfeiters.
With violence continuing to plague various communities across the country, South African authorities are under increasing pressure to address the root causes of such crimes, which often include poverty, unemployment, and a lack of law enforcement in certain areas. As the investigation into this latest shooting continues, the people of South Africa are left to grapple with the devastating loss of life and the persistent threat of violence in their communities.
