A mass shooting at a tavern in Soweto, Johannesburg, has left 12 people dead and many more wounded. The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Nomzamo informal settlement. Police have launched a manhunt for the attackers, who fled the scene in a minibus.
The motive is unknown, but police suspect it may be linked to ongoing taxi violence in the area. Local residents have expressed shock and fear, with many saying they no longer feel safe in their own homes. The shooting is a grim reminder of the regular violence that plagues the townships of South Africa, where poverty and inequality run deep.
The city of Johannesburg has announced a crisis response team, but for the families of the victims, the immediate cost of bread and the fear for tomorrow are the realities at hand. The union movement, already under pressure, calls for action against the proliferation of firearms. This is the face of a nation's heartbreak and a systemic failure to protect its most vulnerable people.
