At least 11 people were killed and three others wounded when gunmen opened fire at a residential property in KwaMakhutha township in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, according to local media reports.
The deadly attack occurred late Tuesday night in the township, located south of Durban, after unidentified assailants reportedly stormed a home where a group of people had gathered and opened fire.
South African television news channel eNCA reported that a pregnant woman was among those killed in the shooting.
Ten of the victims reportedly died at the scene, while another victim died from injuries while being transported to a hospital. Three other people were wounded in the attack and taken for medical treatment.
According to the reports, the victims were inside a residential property when the gunmen arrived shortly before 11 p.m. local time (2100 GMT) on Tuesday.
The attackers reportedly opened fire inside the premises before fleeing the area. Their identities and the circumstances that led to the shooting remained unclear.
Before leaving the scene, the assailants allegedly set fire to a vehicle belonging to the homeowner, adding to the destruction caused by the attack.
Police had yet to establish a motive for the shooting, while authorities had not publicly identified any suspects or announced arrests in connection with the incident.
The attack has renewed concerns over violent crime and the use of firearms in South Africa, where shootings involving multiple victims have periodically occurred in different parts of the country.
However, authorities had not indicated whether the KwaMakhutha incident was connected to any broader criminal activity or whether the victims were specifically targeted.
The circumstances surrounding the gathering at the home were also not immediately clear from the reports. Investigators are expected to examine the scene, establish the identities of the victims and determine what prompted the attackers to enter the property and open fire.
The burning of the homeowner’s vehicle could also form part of the investigation as police seek to reconstruct the events before and after the shooting.
The three survivors who sustained injuries were receiving medical attention, while authorities continued efforts to determine the full circumstances of the attack.
With the motive still unknown and no arrests announced, the identities of the assailants remained unclear.
The incident adds to a series of deadly shootings that have drawn attention to gun violence in South Africa, although the specific circumstances and motive of the KwaMakhutha attack had not been established.
Authorities are expected to provide further information as the investigation progresses, including details about the victims, possible suspects and the circumstances surrounding the attack.
For residents of KwaMakhutha and surrounding communities, the shooting represents a major security concern, particularly because it occurred at a private residence and resulted in multiple fatalities within a single incident.
Police investigations will now focus on determining who carried out the attack, why the property was targeted and whether the assailants had any connection to the victims.
Until investigators establish the motive and identify those responsible, the circumstances behind one of the latest deadly shootings in KwaZulu-Natal remain under investigation.
