Eleven dead after gunmen storm house party near Durban, South African police say

Pinned summary · as of 15:53

Eleven people have died after armed men burst into a gathering at a home in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, late on Tuesday. South African Police Service (SAPS) officers say three attackers began shooting at the guests, and three more people were wounded.

What we know

• Gunmen attacked a party at a house in KwaMakhutha, in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, on Tuesday night, leaving 11 people dead, according to both Rainbow Radio Online and The Press Radio.
• Police said 14 people were inside, 13 men and a woman believed to be pregnant, when three men came in and opened fire. Ten victims, the woman among them, died where they were, and one of four people rushed to hospital later succumbed to gunshot wounds.
• Three other people were wounded in the attack, according to police.
• Police are looking for the three suspects. No one had been arrested at the time of the police statements, and officers said the reason for the shooting is not yet known.
• Police said some of those at the house were already known to investigators in connection with alleged criminal activity, and that a feud between rival groups could not be ruled out as the cause. Officers gave no further detail on those investigations.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  A visit to the scene by Premier Thami Ntuli of KwaZulu-Natal, to meet police, community leaders and bereaved families, was anticipated according to The Press Radio; no other report has confirmed it.
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  The Press Radio placed the shooting in the Ziko area of KwaMakhutha and said the identities of all the victims had not been fully released; Rainbow Radio Online did not report these details.

Why it matters for Ghana

The attack is a reminder of the danger of gun violence in South Africa, a country where many Ghanaians live, study and run businesses. Families in Ghana with relatives in KwaZulu-Natal or Durban will be watching for the release of victims' names and for news of arrests. Ghana's missions abroad and community associations in South Africa are the usual points of contact for such families, although no report says any Ghanaian was affected.