12 Killed in Johannesburg Mass Shooting – Police Search for Attackers

Sat Jun 13 2026 12:58:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A brutal shooting in Johannesburg’s Jumpers settlement left 12 dead and sparked a manhunt for 10 armed suspects amid concerns over illegal mining violence.

At night on Tuesday, a white Toyota pulled into the Jumpers Informal Settlement in Johannesburg and a group of armed men fired wildly, killing 12 people. Police say the attackers, armed with rifles, fled in the same vehicle, leaving no arrests yet. The incident follows a pattern of violent attacks linked to illegal mining turf wars, a growing problem in South Africa’s free‑market mining sector. The nation already ranks among the world’s highest firearm homicide rates, with over 3 million licensed and unlicensed guns in circulation.

12 Killed in Johannesburg Mass Shooting – Police Search for Attackers

Location: Jumpers Informal Settlement, Cleveland, Johannesburg, South Africa.

At about 23:10 (21:10 GMT) on Tuesday, a white Toyota Quantum pulled up near a petrol station and delivered a convoy of at least ten men and three women who entered the settlement armed with rifles. They opened fire on residents, leaving 12 people dead and nine wounded. Some victims died instantly on the scene while one later succumbed to injuries in hospital.

Police have not made any arrests. Officers are following every lead and are combing the surrounding area for the suspects, who fled the scene in the same white vehicle.

The motive is unknown, but investigators suspect a connection to illegal mining turf wars, a violent side of the country’s informal mining economy.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest homicide rates, fueled in part by the roughly 3 million legal firearms and an equivalent number of unlicensed guns that few require licences for the latter. Recent incidents, such as a tavern shooting this year, underscore the pressing issue of gun‑related violence.

“This attack is heartless and barbaric,” said Lt‑Gen Tommy Mthombeni, provincial police commissioner. He added that the area’s proximity to illegal mines adds to suspicions of gang involvement. The police have been actively searching large numbers of vehicles in the area and asking local residents for tips.