Manhunt underway following killing of 12 people in Cleveland

Police have launched a manhunt for more than ten suspects linked to the killing of 12 people at the Jumpers Informal Settlement in Cleveland.

It is alleged that the group of armed suspects descended on the informal settlement and opened fire on residents using automatic rifles, killing nine men and three women.

At least nine other victims were taken to various medical facilities for treatment of gunshot wounds.

It is reported that the gunmen arrived in a white Toyota Quantum parked at a nearby garage before entering the informal settlement on foot using both entrances.

The attack is suspected to be linked to ongoing illegal mining activities in the area.

Acting National Police Commissioner, Puleng Dimpane, has deployed additional specialised resources to support investigations into the mass shooting.

These include members from Forensic Services, Tactical Response Teams and other specialised investigative units.

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Dr Bandile Masuku, says the persistence of such brutal attacks demands an urgent reassessment of current interventions and a more coordinated, intelligence-driven approach.

“The Committee calls on the South African Police Service to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those responsible for this heinous crime are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. Equally, the Committee urges communities to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by providing any information that may assist with the investigation.

“More importantly, the Committee emphasises that the victims of this tragedy are not merely numbers in a statistical report. They were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, breadwinners, neighbours and valued members of their communities whose lives were cut short by a senseless act of violence. Their deaths represent an immeasurable loss to their families and to society as a whole.”

Rise Mzansi Joburg Mayoral Candidate, Lukhona Mnguni, says the killing of a single person is a tragedy that should never be normalised, but the cold-blooded mass slaughter of 12 people cannot be treated as business as usual.

“This gruesome incident is part of a deeply alarming trend across our city. Our streets have been flooded with illegal firearms, and our communities are paying the price with their lives. To restore the heart and soul of Johannesburg, we must root out criminality with unyielding resolve. We cannot simply react after blood has been spilt; we must prevent these horrors from occurring in the first place.”

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IFP DEMANDS SWIFT JUSTICE AFTER JOHANNESBURG MASSACRE CLAIMS 12 LIVES

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is appalled and deeply saddened by the brutal killing of twelve (12) people and the injury of nine (9) others in a mass shooting at the Jumpers Informal… pic.twitter.com/N87G8wK5jK

— #VoteIFP (@vote_ifp) June 10, 2026

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MMC Moshe Koma has strongly condemned the tragic mass shooting incident on Cleveland Road, Johannesburg.

Preliminary reports confirm that 12 people have been killed in what is believed to be linked to ongoing criminal activity. Police and forensic teams remain… pic.twitter.com/kaFRWmZYui

— COJ People’s MMC Public Safety (@PublicSafetyMMC) June 10, 2026

That Cleveland Shooting man. That place shouldn’t even exist, that area should be nothing but factories but there’s an informal settlement

— Thabang (@Thabang____) June 10, 2026

Cleveland Johannesburg mass shooting. 😳
12 Dead further 9 injured. Signs of military planning. Multiple shooters, multiple in & out access points covered. Foreign nationals possible. Possibly linked to illegal mining (Zama Zamas).

Only strengthens SAns call for deportation

— Grace (@EbsaMarket58217) June 10, 2026

Looking at how the Cleveland shooting is handled, it is very clear capacity is lacking within SAPS. WHY IS THIS CRIME SCENE TAKING FOREVER!

— ZweloZwabo (@ZZwabo) June 10, 2026