Sep 27, Kathmandu - At least 27 people have been killed and 26 injured in two separate shootings in South Africa, police say.

Seventeen people were killed and 15 wounded in a shooting at a bar in western Johannesburg on Saturday night. The victims included 13 men and four women.

Police said about eight gunmen carried out the attack. They reportedly searched some patrons and took mobile phones before fleeing in two unidentified vehicles. The shooting occurred at around 7:30 p.m. local time. Investigators and specialist police teams are working to identify and arrest those responsible. The motive remains unclear.

In a separate incident, 10 people were killed and 11 injured in a shooting at an entertainment venue in a township outside Cape Town early Sunday.

South Africa faces widespread gun violence involving both legal and illegal firearms. Shootings are often linked to gang disputes and competition in informal businesses. The country, with a population of about 62 million, has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with an average of around 60 killings reported each day.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has described rising crime as one of the country’s major challenges. In March, the military was deployed to support police efforts to tackle crime in violence-hit areas of Johannesburg.