Wedela tavern shooting death toll rises to 18 as police hunt gunmen

The death toll from Friday’s tavern shooting in Wedela, west of Johannesburg, has risen from 17 to 18, with several survivors still critically injured. Police say eight armed men opened fire on patrons, took some cellphones and fled; no arrests have been made, and a dedicated investigative team and intensified security operations are underway. Authorities are also investigating a shooting in Lwandle near Cape Town that killed 10 people and wounded 11, as well as a separate shooting in Khayelitsha that left four people dead. Investigators are examining possible links to illegal-mining turf disputes, retaliation or business rivalries, but the motives remain unconfirmed. The attacks follow other recent mass shootings in South Africa, including an 11-person killing near Durban, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a stronger security response.