JOHANNESBURG — A massive police manhunt is underway in South Africa after a heavily armed gang stormed an informal settlement east of Johannesburg late Tuesday night, June 9, 2026, killing at least 12 people and leaving nine others seriously wounded.

The attack, which authorities have described as "insane, heartless, and barbaric," unfolded just after 11:00 PM at the Jumpers informal settlement in the Cleveland suburb.

According to Gauteng provincial police, a coordinated group of more than 10 suspects arrived at the gated informal settlement in a white Toyota Quantum minibus. The gunmen split up, entering the grid of makeshift housing from two separate entrances to trap residents inside.

The attackers then moved methodically through the area, opening fire indiscriminately on community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.

"They moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing," said police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi in a morning statement.

Eleven victims—eight men and three women—were pronounced dead at the scene. A twelfth victim succumbed to severe injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital. Nine others remain hospitalized with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

While a definitive motive has not yet been established, investigators are heavily focusing on the region's volatile criminal underworld. The Cleveland suburb is a well-known hub for zama zamas—violent, highly organized syndicates involved in illegal gold mining within Johannesburg’s vast network of abandoned mines.

Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni noted that while it is too early to definitively blame illegal mining, the hallmarks of a syndicate turf war are present. A recent police raid in the immediate area had uncovered a cache of illegal weapons, including military-grade assault rifles.

Local council member Neuren Pietersen urged caution, noting that the community has also faced severe, ongoing local tensions over land and housing. "There are a lot of moving parts here, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly what is driving the issues," Pietersen told reporters at the scene.

The tragedy at Jumpers settlement is the latest in a string of high-profile mass casualty shootings across South Africa, including two separate incidents just months ago in December that left more than 20 people dead.

The sheer scale of the violence has put immense pressure on national law enforcement. South Africa consistently battles one of the highest homicide rates in the world, averaging more than 60 murders per day. The crisis became severe enough that the government previously deployed the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to high-risk zones to assist overwhelmed police units.

Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane announced on Wednesday morning that specialist forensic investigators and tactical response units have been deployed to Johannesburg to track down the shooters. Finding the white minibus taxi remains the department’s highest priority. As of Wednesday afternoon, no arrests have been made.