**Picture Caption:** Forensic pathologists and crime scene investigators examine the scene at Cleveland informal settlement in Johannesburg after a mass shooting left 12 people dead and several others injured. Authorities have launched a manhunt as investigations into the deadly attack continue.
The brutal killing of 12 people in Cleveland informal settlement in Johannesburg has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for stronger action against violent crime and illegal mining in Gauteng.
More than ten heavily armed suspects reportedly stormed the settlement on Tuesday night and opened fire on residents, leaving 12 people dead and at least nine others injured before fleeing the scene.
The Gauteng Provincial Government said it had learned "with shock and sadness" of the attack, describing it as a "senseless act of violence" and a direct assault on community safety.
"This brutal attack represents a direct assault on the safety and dignity of our communities. We condemn this barbaric act in the strongest possible terms and call on law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in bringing those responsible to justice," the provincial government said in a statement on Wednesday.
