South Africa has been rocked by mass shootings at three taverns in various parts of the country in the space of a little more than 24 hours.
The death toll from the cold blooded killings at taverns in Pietermartizburg, Katlehong and Orlando-East in Soweto currently stands at 21 with a number of others injured.
Kwazulu Natal police are reporting that four people died after unknown gunmen opened fire at patrons at a tavern in Sweetwaters in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night.
It's believed that the men jumped out of a vehicle, entered the tavern and fired shots randomly inside the establishment.
KZN police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala, says there were 12 victims of the shooting.
"Two people died on the scene and two others died in hospital. Another 8 tavern-goers are being treated in hospital for their injuries," she said.
"The suspects fled the scene after the shooting and police are now investigating charges of murder and attempted murder. The docket has been transferred to the provincial organised crime unit who have taken over the investigation," said Lt Col Gwala.
The deceased were between the ages of 30 and 45 and the motive for the attack has yet to be established.
Meanwhile: a video is circulating on social media of a shooting at a tavern in Katlehong township some 30 km south-east of Johannesburg.
Its emerged that eight people were shot in the incident in the tavern in Kwanele, Katlehong, on Friday night and that two of the patrons were killed.
This means that in the space of a little more then 24 hours, 21 young South Africans were senselessly murdered in the three tavern shootings in Soweto, Pietermaritzburg and Katlehong.
Fourteen people were shot dead at the Nomzamo Tavern in Orlando, Soweto, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Three of the nine people injured were rushed to hospital in a critical condition and reports are coming through that one of those critically injured victims has since passed away, bringing the death toll in Soweto alone to 15.
