JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — A violent attack at Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland has left 12 people dead and nine others hospitalized, marking one of the deadliest shooting incidents in the area this year.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni confirmed the casualty figures during a media briefing at the scene. Of those killed, nine were men and three were women. Eleven victims died where they were shot, while the twelfth passed away after being transported to a medical facility. The nine survivors remain under hospital care, with authorities awaiting medical updates on their status.
The violence unfolded along Cleveland Road, specifically between Drostdy Street and Hospital Street. While some community members told investigators they heard gunfire near 8:00 p.m., police records indicate they were alerted to the incident at 5:11 and immediately deployed responders.
According to Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, investigators are working from the theory that more than 10 individuals arrived in a taxi quantum, blocked access points to Jumpers informal settlement, exited the vehicle, and fired indiscriminately at residents. A rifle was among the weapons used in the assault, the commissioner added.
Recovery operations faced logistical hurdles due to the settlement’s dense, unplanned infrastructure. With no formal road network, emergency personnel and forensic teams had to move through narrow pathways and between dwellings to reach affected areas. Pathology vehicles were later brought in to transport the deceased, while police tape sealed off the perimeter as investigators processed the active crime scene.
Authorities are prioritizing the identification of victims and notification of families. Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni stated that teams are making every effort to locate next of kin for both the deceased and those receiving hospital treatment.
Residents described a night of terror. A community member interviewed at the scene, said she heard shots firing and took cover beneath her bed until the violence subsided. Her account reflects broader anxieties among locals, several of whom have called for enhanced security measures—including potential support from the South African National Defense Force—citing persistent safety concerns.
When questioned about preventive policing, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni referenced an operation conducted roughly three weeks earlier in the same vicinity, during which three suspects were arrested and multiple firearms confiscated. He pushed back against criticism that law enforcement presence is inadequate, affirming that officers respond promptly to calls and continue to pursue actionable intelligence.
The commissioner expressed optimism that leads being followed would result in arrests, though no suspects have been publicly identified at this stage. Investigators have not disclosed a possible motive for the attack.
As the probe continues, community leaders are urging calm while demanding greater protection for vulnerable neighborhoods. Health authorities are expected to provide further details on the condition of the nine hospitalized individuals in coming hours.