At least 11 people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a group of people inside a house in KwaMakhutha township, near Durban, South Africa.
Police said the incident occurred late Tuesday when three armed men entered the residential property and opened fire on 14 people. Ten victims died at the scene, while four others were rushed to hospital. One of the injured later succumbed to their injuries, bringing the death toll to 11.
According to police, some of the victims were reportedly being monitored in connection with suspected illegal activities. Authorities, however, said they could not disclose further details because doing so could interfere with the ongoing investigation.
The motive for the attack remains unclear, although police said they were investigating the possibility that the shooting was linked to a conflict between rival groups.
Police said preliminary information indicated that 13 men and one woman, believed to be pregnant, were attending a gathering inside the house when the three suspects arrived and began shooting. The woman was among those killed.
A reporter from South African television station eNCA, who was at the scene, reported that the attackers allegedly set fire to a vehicle belonging to one of the victims before fleeing. Images from the scene showed the vehicle badly damaged by fire.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects and are appealing for information that could assist in their arrest.
The latest incident comes amid continuing concerns over violent crime in South Africa, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Official police statistics indicate that more than 60 people are killed each day in the country.
Recent discoveries of the bodies of at least nine murdered women, some of whom were reportedly found dumped along roadsides, have further intensified concerns about violent crime.
Last year, nine people were killed in another mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg.
Criminal gang rivalries, territorial disputes, drug trafficking and illegal mining have frequently been linked to violent incidents in parts of South Africa.
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa described organised crime as a major threat to the country’s democracy, society and economic development, announcing plans to deploy the military to assist police efforts against criminal networks.
