One victim died in hospital after gunmen attacked a tavern in Wedela, west of Johannesburg, raising the death toll to 18, police said Monday. Eighteen people were wounded; at least two of the dead were Lesotho nationals. No arrests had been made, and the motive was unclear.
Police said eight gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the bar late Saturday. The attack may have been retaliation for an August incident at the same tavern that left one person dead and another wounded, police said. The owner told local journalists that rivalries among gangs involved in illicit gold mining gripped the area and said she was afraid to reopen.
In a separate shooting early Sunday, gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 11 at an eating and drinking venue in Lwandle, outside Cape Town. Police said the motive was unclear; no arrests had been made in either shooting.
