• At least 12 people were killed in a mass shooting in Johannesburg's Cleveland area.
• More than nine others sustained injuries, prompting a police response.
• More than 10 suspects are reportedly involved, and a manhunt is underway.
• The motive for the attack is unknown, but illegal mining activities may be connected.

At least 12 people have been killed and nine are injured after a mass shooting in the Cleveland area of Johannesburg late Tuesday night. The attack occurred when gunmen, reportedly more than 10 in number, opened fire in the Jumpers informal settlement. Emergency services responded quickly, arriving shortly after police assessed the situation and found multiple victims in different locations. Tragically, eight men and three women were declared dead at the scene, with one additional victim later succumbing to injuries in the hospital, according to BBC, Reuters, and India Times.

Police believe the suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum and entered Jumpers settlement through multiple access points. Witnesses described the chaotic scene as the attackers moved through the area firing indiscriminately at residents. The exact motive behind this violent act remains unclear, as police have initiated a manhunt for the shooters, according to CBS News and Al Jazeera.

The area has been associated with illegal mining activities, and some local residents speculate that the shooting could be connected to turf wars among competing groups within these operations. Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni has stated that while it is early in the investigation to draw conclusions about the connection to illegal mining, he noted similarities in the victims' circumstances to previous violent incidents linked to this issue, according to South China Morning Post and Africanews.