Four Killed, Three Injured As Gunman Opens Fire On Mourners In South Africa

At least four people have been killed and three others injured after a gunman opened fire on mourners leaving a memorial service for a local politician in South Africa.

The shooting occurred late Tuesday in Katlehong township, southeast of Johannesburg, with police confirming on Wednesday that a child was among those injured.

According to the South African Police Service, the suspect is in custody after turning himself in.

Police initially reported that two men died at the scene, but the death toll rose to four after two additional victims died in hospital on Wednesday.

The incident is being investigated by a political killings task team, authorities said.

Local media reports indicated that some of the victims were members of the youth league of the African National Congress, ANC, South Africa’s largest party in Parliament.

The memorial service was reportedly held in honour of a woman who served as a local ANC leader and died earlier this month in a shooting suspected to have been politically motivated.

However, police did not immediately disclose the identities of the victims, stating only that they had attended a memorial service for a member of a political party.

South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of gun violence, including shootings linked to local political rivalries.

A report released earlier this month by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime identified 43 killings in the country this year suspected to have been politically motivated.

The latest incident comes ahead of South Africa’s local elections scheduled for November 4, when voters will elect representatives to municipal councils across the country.