Criminal Network Rivalries Linked to Rise in South Africa Shootings

Competition between criminal networks, organised crime and gang violence is contributing to a rise in mass shootings in South Africa, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).

GI-TOC data recorded 41 mass shootings across the country since the start of 2026, resulting in almost 200 deaths. The organisation defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least three people are killed.

Deadly shootings in several cities

Recent incidents have highlighted the scale of the violence. Shootings in Johannesburg and Cape Town over one weekend left 27 people dead across two days.

Days earlier, gunmen stormed a house south of Durban and killed 12 people, including a pregnant woman.

The identities of the victims and alleged attackers were not provided in the available information.

Criminal market competition

GI-TOC said much of the violence is linked to competition between criminal networks and individuals seeking control of illicit markets. The organisation also identified conflicts over control of criminal networks as a factor fuelling mass shootings.

That assessment comes as the broader crime picture shows a different trend. South African police data for the period from April through June indicated an almost 6 percent decline in homicides.

The figures point to a contrast between a reported reduction in overall homicides and the continued occurrence of deadly shootings linked, according to GI-TOC, to organised criminal activity and disputes over illicit markets.