Ten gunmen opened fire in Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, Johannesburg, on the night of 9 June 2026, killing 12 people and injuring 10 others.
The attack began just before midnight when the suspects were dropped off near an Astron petrol station and entered the gated settlement. Residents described more than an hour of indiscriminate shooting before the gunmen left. Police found bloodstained rooms, bullet casings and a possible illegal gold refinery at the scene. Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni called the incident insane, heartless and barbaric. Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane has deployed forensic experts, tactical teams and other specialists to lead the manhunt. Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and tracing a white Toyota Quantum linked to the suspects. Community leaders pointed to tensions involving zama zamas and illicit gold refining in the area, though police said it was too early to confirm any link. Security guards normally posted at the settlement gate were absent during the attack. The Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters urged swift action to restore safety.