Carletonville:Pretoria: The government has expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the 18 victims who lost their lives when eight unidentified gunmen opened fire at a tavern in Wedela, Carletonville, located on the West Rand.

According to South African Government News Agency, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed during a post-cabinet media briefing that 17 individuals died instantly, while another succumbed to injuries later. Five people are still in critical condition in the hospital.

The Minister stated that only four of the deceased have been identified so far. The government has urged residents with relatives in the area to check on them and report any missing persons to the police.

Two vehicles were reported to have been set on fire, and cellphones were stolen during the incident. Police are actively pursuing the eight suspects involved in the shootings. Gauteng police have launched a manhunt to locate the gunmen.

At the time of the attack, patrons were both inside and outside the tavern. The suspects arrived and began shooting at those outside before entering the tavern to continue firing. The gunmen were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols, and they allegedly searched several patrons, stealing their cellphones before escaping in two unidentified vehicles.

The motive for the shooting remains unknown, but Gauteng police have put together a team of detectives and specialized units to track down and apprehend the suspects.

In addition to the incident in Wedela, the government also extended its condolences to the families and friends of 10 individuals killed in a separate shooting in Lwandle, Cape Town, on Saturday evening. Five victims died on the scene, while the remaining five succumbed to their injuries en route to the hospital.

Minister Ntshavheni emphasized that multidisciplinary investigation teams are working to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.