Manhunt underway in South Africa after 12 killed in mass shooting

A manhunt is underway in South Africa after a group of 10 armed men opened fire killing 12 people at an informal settlement in Johannesburg late on Tuesday.

Police said the shooters were dropped at the site in a minibus and moved through the area, opening fire on residents at multiple locations before fleeing in the same vehicle.

As investigators work to establish the motive for the attack, Gauteng province’s top cop visited this latest scene of a deadly mass shooting in the East Rand region.

Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said it was too early to say if the incident was related to illegal mining in the area.

"But of course we cannot overrule that because I've seen some of the victims. There were, … some of the victims where they were lying it looks like this a place of the processing centre for illegal mining,” he said.

Jumpers informal settlement is located near several known illegal mining sites.

Residents are reported as saying they believe the attack was linked to a turf war between groups of illegal miners living in the area.

At least nine people were injured in the shooting that has left people in shock and has once again raised concerns about gun violence.