South Africa hunts three gunmen after 11 killed at house party

South African police have launched a 72-hour operation to find three gunmen who killed 11 people, including a pregnant woman, at a house party in KwaMakhutha township, south of Durban.

The attackers arrived at a house in the Ziko area late on Tuesday, 22 September, where 13 men and one woman were gathered, according to the South African Police Service.

Ten people, including the woman, were killed at the scene. Four others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, where one later died, leaving three survivors.

Police have not established a motive. They said some of those killed had previously come to the attention of crime intelligence in connection with suspected illegal activities, without providing details because the investigations were continuing.

“A feud between rival groupings cannot be ruled out,” police said. Authorities have not established that gang rivalry was the cause of the attack.

Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane ordered a special 72-hour tracking operation, directing officers in KwaZulu-Natal to deploy additional resources in the search for the three suspects.

Police said investigators were following a lead that could help identify those responsible.

Nomusa Zulu, a local resident whose two sons were among those killed, told the Associated Press that witnesses said the group had moved inside the house as the evening became colder.

“They heard a knock at the door,” she said. “When they opened the door, gunshots went off.”

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli visited the scene and appealed to residents to provide information to investigators. He said the community had faced problems involving illegal firearms and drug dealing. Police were also examining whether a vehicle set alight near the house was connected to the attack.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest homicide rates. Police recorded 5,427 killings between April and June 2026, an average of almost 60 a day, according to figures cited by AP. Firearms are the most common weapon used in homicides in the country.

The national government condemned the KwaMakhutha shooting and urged witnesses to cooperate with investigators, saying law enforcement agencies were pursuing available leads.

Police said the search for the three gunmen and the investigation into the motive were continuing.