Mass shooting leaves 5 dead in South Africa

By Hassan Isilow

Police in South Africa said Tuesday they are investigating a mass shooting that left five people dead in the province of Western Cape late Monday.

Police spokesperson Col. Andre Traut said the incident took place at around 11:15 p.m. local time (21:15GMT) at a residence on Chris Hani Street in Mbekweni, near Cape Town.

“The motive for the multiple murders is yet to be determined, and arrests are yet to be affected. At this stage there is no indication that the incident is linked to the taxi strike in the province,’’ Traut said in a statement.

Industrial action started on Aug. 3 after minibus taxi drivers said they were “unfairly” targeted by authorities, who impounded their vehicles for legal and road safety violations. Many people, allegedly associated with the strikers, have since attacked motorists, bus operators, as well as police.

The dead included three male victims aged 12, 14, and 34, and two female victims aged 32 and 39.

Mass shootings have become more frequent in South Africa, a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world. Last month a mass shooting left six people dead and four wounded in the Eastern Cape province.

Last July, 14 people were killed at a bar in the township of Soweto near Johannesburg. Police said the attackers used high-caliber firearms and sprayed bullets randomly.