South Africa bar shooting death toll rises to 18

The death toll in a mass shooting in a South African tavern has risen to 18 after one person died in hospital.

Police disclosed the figures on Monday, September 28, 2026, adding that two of the dead were Lesotho nationals.

The shooting which occurred late Saturday was part of a bloody weekend in South Africa, with 10 people killed in another mass shooting in Cape Town on Sunday.

Police said eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the bar in the semi-rural township of Wedela, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) from central Johannesburg, killing 13 men and four women.

Police stated: “One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18. 18 people were wounded.

“Only four of the deceased have been identified, two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.”

27 killed in separate mass shootings across South Africa

The motive for the attack was not clear, but police said it may have been retaliation for an incident in the same tavern in August when one person was killed and another wounded.

The area was gripped by rivalry between gangs involved in illicit mining for gold, the tavern owner told local journalists at the scene, where bloodied clothes lay on the ground.

“Even if they finish investigating, I am scared to continue selling again. I am too scared,” she said, hiding her identity.

Thousands of unregistered miners operate in abandoned mining shafts in South Africa, in a sector linked to organised crime, assassinations and other illegal activities.

Many come from across southern Africa, including the kingdom of Lesotho which is embedded within South Africa.