A manhunt has been launched in South Africa after a mass shooting in the southeast of the country left 17 people dead, including 15 women. The shooting took place in two houses in close proximity to each other in the rural town of Lusikisiki in Eastern Cape province. The suspects are currently being sought by the police, and national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe stated that a search was underway for the individuals responsible for the attack.
Video footage released by the police showed that the shooting occurred at two houses in the same neighborhood, which is a collection of rural homesteads on the outskirts of the town. Twelve women and a man were killed in one house, while three women and a man were killed in the other. Four women, one man, and a two-month-old baby managed to survive the attack. It was reported that the victims were attending a family gathering at the time of the shooting, but the motives behind the killings remain unknown.
Police minister Senzo Mchunu announced that a team of detectives and forensic experts had been deployed to investigate the case and track down the criminals responsible for the deadly attack. Mchunu expressed confidence in the team’s ability to solve the case and urged the suspects to either surrender themselves or face being apprehended by law enforcement. National police chief Fannie Masemola stated that the motives for the shooting were unclear, and it was uncertain whether there was one or multiple suspects at large.
South Africa has faced a significant issue with violent crime, as official crime statistics show 12,734 homicides recorded in the first six months of the year, averaging more than 70 deaths per day. Firearms are cited as the leading cause of death in these cases. Mass shootings have also become more common in recent years, with one notable incident in April 2023 involving ten members of the same family being killed in a mass shooting in a neighboring province. Despite strict firearm laws in South Africa, authorities have identified the prevalence of illegal and unregistered guns as a major challenge in addressing violent crime.
The increase in mass shootings targeting individuals, sometimes in their own homes, highlights the ongoing problem of gun violence in South Africa. The tragic incident in Lusikisiki underscores the urgent need for law enforcement to address the root causes of violence and apprehend those responsible for such heinous crimes. As the manhunt for the suspects continues, authorities are focused on bringing those accountable to justice and preventing further acts of violence in the community.
