Gunmen stormed a room at a men’s hostel near the eastern South African city of Durban, resulting in the tragic death of eight individuals and leaving two others wounded, as stated by the police on Sunday. This incident marks the latest occurrence of a mass shooting within the country.
Following the shooting that transpired during the early hours of Saturday in the Umlazi township, seven men were immediately pronounced dead. An eighth man sadly succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, as confirmed by the authorities.
Among the injured individuals are two men currently receiving medical treatment, including one who managed to escape the gunfire by jumping out of the hostel room window. The police disclosed that the room housed a total of 12 men who were engaged in consuming alcohol when the assailants forcibly entered, fired shots, and hastily fled the scene.
Fortunately, two men within the room emerged unharmed by the attack.
South Africa is recognised as one of the ten countries with the highest rates of homicides globally, and the nation has witnessed a series of mass shootings in recent years. Earlier this year, at least two instances of mass shootings were reported. In April, a child was among ten family members who tragically lost their lives in a house, while in January, eight individuals were fatally shot during a birthday celebration.
In the preceding year, a total of 22 people fell victim to separate shootings at bars across different regions of the country during a single weekend.
While South Africa has relatively stringent gun laws, it grapples with a significant issue concerning illegal firearms, as highlighted by the authorities and community activists. Official crime statistics indicate that during the first three months of this year, an average of 30 individuals per day lost their lives due to firearms in South Africa. Moreover, police records reveal over 4,000 cases of illegal firearm possession within the same period.