South Africa Rocked by 3 Mass Shootings: What to Know

South African police have launched manhunts after three mass shootings killed at least 32 people.Police were searching for suspects early Monday after separate shootings took place over the weekend in impoverished townships, including Wedela in West Rand District outside Johannesburg, Lwandle in Western Cape, and Khayelitsha in Western Cape.“Violence and criminality continues to spread in our country,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday. “This is the level of criminality that we must bring down, and our security forces are now going to continue pulling out all stops. It cannot go on like this.” He pledged stronger action by security forces to reduce violent crime in the country.The shootings came amid a recent spate of mass shootings and other killings that have alarmed South Africans. Authorities have linked some of the attacks to criminal gangs fighting over territory or illicit businesses like illegal mining, drug trafficking, and extortion. South African police define a mass shooting as a single attack that results in three or more people shot.In March, Ramaphosa deployed soldiers to support police as part of a yearlong operation against gang violence and illegal mining, ...