South Africa: 11 killed in attack on house party

Police said some of the victims were known to authoritiesImage: Kristin Palitza/dpa/picture allianceAdvertisementGunmen killed 11 people at a home in eastern South Africa, Kwa-Zulu Natal province's premier said on Wednesday.

Three people were injured in the attack.

The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear.

The shooting occurred at KwaMakhutha, a township some 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Durban, the eastern province's largest city.

"The victims, including a pregnant woman, were gathered at a house shortly before 11:00 pm [2100 UTC] when armed assailants reportedly entered the premises and opened fire," Kwa-Zulu Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli said.

"The incident has left the community in profound shock and grief," he said.

Police said that one of the victims died after being taken to hospital.

"Ten victims, including the woman, died at the scene and four were taken ​to hospital, were one of them succumbed to gunshot injuries," police said.

Some of the victims were known to police, according to the statement. No arrests had yet been made.

South Africa has one of the world's highest murder rates. Around 60 people are killed each day in the country of around 62 million.

The incident comes as South Africa is still reeling over a series of femicides east of Johannesburg.

Legal and illegal firearms are common in South Africa, as are shootings, which are often fueled by rivalry between criminal gangs or between informal businesses.