At least 27 dead after two mass shootings in South Africa, police say

People gather at the store in Lwandle, near Cape Town, where 10 people were killed. Photograph: Esa Alexander/ReutersView image in fullscreenPeople gather at the store in Lwandle, near Cape Town, where 10 people were killed.

Fotografia: Esa Alexander/Reuters South Africa Ao menos 27 mortos após dois tiroteios em massa na South Africa, polícia diz. 17 pessoas foram mortas em um bar próximo a Johannesburg e 10 em outro incidente em um local de churrasco próximo a Cape Town.

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleTwo separate mass shootings near South Africa’s two biggest cities killed at least 27 people, police have said.

The South African police service said on Sunday that 17 people were killed on Saturday night when eight suspects armed with AK-47 assault rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, south-west of Johannesburg.

At least 15 other people sustained gunshot injuries in that attack, police said.

In a separate statement, police said 10 people had been killed in a mass shooting at an entertainment venue selling grilled meat, known as a shisanyama, in Lwandle, near Cape Town.

Mais 11 pessoas ficaram feridas nesse tiroteio. A polícia afirmou que está buscando vários suspeitos, sem indicar um número exato.

The two attacks happened days after a mass shooting by three gunmen at a house party near the east coast city of Durban killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman.

No arrests had been made in the two latest mass shootings, police said.

South Africa has struggled with high rates of violent crime for years, but the series of mass shootings this week were shocking even to a country used to some of the highest violent crime rates in the world.

Police in the province of Gauteng said on Sunday morning they had launched a manhunt for the unidentified eight suspects in the Johannesburg tavern shooting, with no arrests yet made.

View image in fullscreenMembers of South Africa's forensic pathology service and armed forces personnel inspect the scene of the shooting at the bar in Wedela. Photograph: Emmanuel Croset/AFP/Getty ImagesWestern Cape police said they had set up a team led by serious violent crime detectives to investigate the Cape Town shooting, in which the gunmen entered the shinsanyama venue at about 1.

46am on Saturday night and starting shooting at customers.

In the 12 months to 30 June, more than 22,700 people were murdered in South Africa, according to police data.

Sud-africanos já estão abalados após a descoberta de inúmeros corpos de mulheres perto do aeroporto de Joanesburgo desde julho, a maioria dos quais foram encontrados nas últimas semanas.

The killings led to renewed anger about high rates of gender-based violence in the country and has piled pressure on police and politicians to do more about it.

Associated Press em Cidade do Cabo contribuiu para este relatório.

Em números

• Fotografia: Esa Alexander/Reuters South Africa Ao menos 27 mortos após dois tiroteios em massa na South Africa, pol