Residents were going about their evening when armed attackers swept through a Johannesburg settlement, opening fire at multiple locations before disappearing into the night. By morning, at least 12 people were dead, nine others were injured, and police had launched a major manhunt for those responsible.
South African authorities are searching for more than 10 suspects following a deadly mass shooting at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, east of Johannesburg, that left at least 12 people dead and nine wounded.
According to police, the attack unfolded late Tuesday night when a group of heavily armed men arrived in a white Toyota Quantum minibus and entered the settlement through multiple access points. The gunmen then moved through the area, firing at residents in different locations before fleeing in the same vehicle.
The victims included nine men and three women. Eleven people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim later died in hospital. Nine additional survivors were transported to medical facilities for treatment.
Police have yet to establish a motive.
Investigators say it is too early to determine exactly why the attack occurred, though attention has quickly turned to the area’s long standing links to illegal mining operations and organized criminal networks. Cleveland is located near regions where illicit mining activity has flourished for years, often leading to violent disputes between rival groups.
However, authorities stressed that no definitive connection has been established.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni, who visited the scene on Wednesday, described the killings as “heartless” and “barbaric” while cautioning against drawing conclusions before the investigation is complete. He confirmed that specialized units, intelligence officers, and forensic teams have been deployed to track down the perpetrators.
The scale of the attack suggests planning and coordination, with gunmen entering through separate points and targeting multiple locations before escaping. Investigators are now working to determine who ordered the assault and why.
For many South Africans, the tragedy is another reminder of the country’s ongoing struggle with violent crime.
South Africa continues to record one of the highest murder rates in the world, averaging around 60 homicides per day. Mass shootings have become an increasingly frequent feature of the country’s crime landscape, particularly in areas affected by gang activity, illegal mining, and organized criminal operations.
The attack has also renewed concerns about safety in informal settlements, where densely populated communities often face limited security resources and are vulnerable to criminal activity.
As forensic teams continue combing the crime scene and interviewing witnesses, police say their immediate priority is identifying and locating the suspects before they can strike again. No arrests had been announced as of Wednesday.
For the families of those killed, however, the focus is no longer on motives or investigations.
It is on a night of violence that turned an ordinary settlement into the scene of one of South Africa’s deadliest mass shootings of the year.
