Johannesburg, July 19 (IANS) A total of five people were shot and killed by unknown gunmen on Friday night at a tavern in Olievenhoutbosch, Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, police in Gauteng Province said on Saturday.
According to the police, the gunmen entered a tavern at around 10:30 pm and started shooting randomly, killing the five without saying a word.
“Police are on a lookout for approximately 10 suspects after five people, two females and three males, were shot dead, and three others injured inside a tavern at Shoba informal settlement in Olievenhoutbosch on Friday,” said Mavela Masondo, Gauteng Province police spokesperson.
He added that the motive for the shooting remains unknown. The police have opened a case of murder and attempted murder for investigation, Xinhua news agency reported.
The spokesperson urged the public to provide information that could assist the police in arresting the suspects.
Last month, four people were killed and three others injured in a shooting incident at a minibus taxi rank in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa.
According to a statement by the Western Cape provincial police, the incident occurred at the old taxi rank in Mfuleni, about 30 km east of the city centre.
“Reports indicate that the shooting occurred at about 6:00 am when two gunmen fired shots. The incident is believed to be taxi conflict-related,” said police spokesperson Novela Potelwa. “Of the seven victims, one injured is believed to be a commuter.”
“Western Cape police have since bolstered deployment at identified taxi ranks in Cape Town,” she added.
In the statement, provincial police offered a 100,000 rand (about 5,635 US dollars) reward to anyone who shares vital information on the shooting.
“All information received will be handled with care and the identities of those who share information protected,” Potelwa said.
–IANS
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