A manhunt is under way in South Africa after at least 12 people were killed and nine injured in a mass shooting at an informal settlement in Johannesburg late on Tuesday night. More than 10 heavily armed suspects were dropped off by a white minibus near a petrol station in the Cleveland suburb, then entered the Jumpers Informal Settlement through multiple entrances, opening fire on residents at several locations before fleeing in the same vehicle. Eight men and three women were declared dead at the scene; a fourth victim died later in hospital.

Jumpers is a shantytown of metal and wooden shacks located roughly six kilometres east of Johannesburg's city centre, adjacent to a cluster of abandoned gold mines. Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni visited the scene on Wednesday, describing the attack as "heartless," "barbaric," and "insane." While stressing that the motive remains under investigation and no arrests have been made, he acknowledged investigators could not rule out a link to illegal mining. "As you know, this area is adjacent to the illegal mining area. We are having those suspicions," he told reporters. Community residents also believe the attack was connected to a turf war between rival groups of illegal miners operating in the area. A local ward councillor described it as "a well-planned ambush that was very targeted," saying attackers first struck a shack built over an informal mine shaft before moving on to nearby taverns. Authorities were subsequently seen removing equipment believed to be linked to illegal mining from the site.

Illegal mining, known locally as zama zama — a Zulu phrase meaning "those who try" — has become deeply entrenched around Johannesburg, with impoverished workers from across southern Africa descending into abandoned gold-bearing shafts left by mining companies. The trade is frequently linked to organised crime, gang rivalry, extortion and violence. Police had swept the Jumpers area just three weeks earlier, confiscating weapons and ammunition for AK-47 rifles and making three arrests. A similar mass shooting in December killed nine people at a bar in the Bekkersdal township during what was also believed to be a conflict between illegal mining gangs.

The attack underscores the severity of South Africa's gun violence problem. The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world and is estimated to have roughly three million legally held firearms alongside at least as many unlicensed weapons. Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed military forces to violence hotspots in Johannesburg to support police in tackling what he described as one of the biggest threats facing the country. Police say they are following all possible leads and the investigation is ongoing.