Gunmen forcefully entered a room at a men's hostel near Durban, a city in eastern South Africa, resulting in a tragic incident where eight individuals lost their lives and two others sustained injuries, according to the police. This mass shooting, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday in the Umlazi township, is the latest in a series of such incidents in the country.

Immediately following the shooting, seven men were pronounced dead, and another victim succumbed to injuries on Sunday. Among the injured is a man who managed to escape the gunfire by jumping out of the hostel room's window. The police reported that the room contained a total of 12 men who were consuming alcohol when several gunmen forcibly entered, opened fire, and then fled the scene. Two individuals in the room remained unharmed.

South Africa ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest homicide rates globally, and the country has witnessed an alarming increase in mass shootings in recent years. Earlier this year, a tragic incident in April claimed the lives of 10 family members, including a child, at a residence. In January, eight individuals were shot dead during a birthday party.

In 2020, South Africa experienced three separate shooting incidents at bars over a single weekend, resulting in the deaths of 22 people across different locations in the country.

While South Africa has relatively strict gun laws, the proliferation of illegal firearms remains a serious issue, as acknowledged by both the police and community activists. Official crime statistics indicate that during the first three months of this year, an average of 30 individuals per day fell victim to firearm-related killings in South Africa. Additionally, the police recorded over 4,000 cases of illegal possession of guns or ammunition during the same period.

The recurring incidents of mass shootings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address gun violence and tackle the circulation of illegal firearms in South Africa.