Mass Shooting at Johannesburg Informal Settlement Leaves 12 Dead

A mass shooting at an informal settlement in the Cleveland suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, has left 12 people dead and nine others wounded. Authorities have launched a manhunt for more than 10 suspects.

The attack occurred at approximately 11 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, located about 6 km east of Johannesburg's city centre.

Incident Details

According to police reports, the suspects arrived in a white Toyota minibus. They entered the settlement through both entrances and opened fire at multiple locations before fleeing in the same vehicle.

Victims

The deceased include nine men and three women. Eleven victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and one died later at a hospital. Nine other individuals were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Investigation

No arrests have been made to date. Provincial and district detectives, supported by crime intelligence units and forensic experts, have been mobilized to investigate the incident and locate the suspects.

Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni described the act as criminal but declined to attribute the killings to illegal mining without further investigation. The motive remains unclear, with police noting similarities to organized crime violence, potentially linked to illegal mining operations in the region.

Context

South Africa records over 23,000 homicides annually, with an average of approximately 60 per day.

Recent mass shootings in the country have sometimes been associated with illegal mining gangs operating in and around Johannesburg.