According to south african Police, Ten members of the same family, including seven women and three men, were killed by gunmen Friday in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) state

 initial police reports indicate that unknown gunmen stormed a Pietermaritzburg homestead and attacked the family. The area's mayor told the local press that the capacity of local police stations needed to be increased.

PHOTO | COURTESY 10 killed in a mass shooting

Athlenda Mathe, a national police spokesperson, informed CNN that several arrests had been made. She said that Two suspects were arrested, and three guns were recovered. One was killed, and another fled the scene, adding that Police are on the lookout for the suspects.

Several mass shootings have shaken South Africa in recent months, with authorities claiming that some are related to taxi industry violence while others appear to be linked to drug cartels. There has been no suggestion of a motive for Friday's shooting.

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According to police figures, South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. After a brief break during the most severe stage of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, the rates have risen dramatically.

PHOTO | COURTESY 10 killed in a mass shooting

Last July, at least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a bar in the Soweto township. The same evening, four additional individuals were slain in a second shooting in a Pietermaritzburg bar.

According to the announcement, the country's Police Minister, Bheki Cele, is visiting the crime scene of the recent shooting on Friday with the top management team of the South African Police Service (SAPS) led by National Commissioner Fannie Masemola.