Manhunt underway after mass shooting kills 8 in South Africa

South African authorities are on the hunt for multiple shooters responsible for fatally shooting eight individuals at a tavern in Durban on Friday night. The incident took place in the Zama information settlement at U Section, Umlazi, according to the South African Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal. The victims, six men and two women aged between 22 and 40, were found dead with gunshot wounds at the scene. Investigations into the motive behind the killings are ongoing, with police launching a search for the suspects. Durban, a major cargo port in South Africa, has a population of approximately 4.2 million people. The country witnesses an average of 75 murders daily, with 6,953 reported between October and December in 2024. Criminal gangs are often behind these violent acts, which sometimes target entire families or well-known figures. The recent shooting incident is one in a series of violent events, including the killing of a family of seven last September and the abduction of a U.S. missionary during a church sermon last month. The missionary was rescued by police after a shootout that left three of his captors dead. In a separate case, soccer player Luke Fleurs was fatally shot while refueling his vehicle at a gas station in April 2024. Authorities arrested six suspects in connection with Fleurs’ murder.