At least 11 people have been killed in a mass shooting at a residential building near the South African city of Durban, police have confirmed.
Gunmen stormed a house in the KwaMakhutha township late on Tuesday and opened fire on 14 people who were reportedly gathered inside. Ten of the victims were killed at the scene, while four others were taken to hospital, where one later died from their injuries, according to police.
Police said that some of those killed had been under surveillance in connection with illegal activities, though they declined to provide further details "to protect investigations which have been launched".
The motive for the attack has not yet been confirmed, but police said they could not rule out the possibility of a "feud between rival groupings".
In a statement, police said: "Information available at this stage suggests that 13 men and one woman, who is believed to be pregnant, were reportedly having a party inside a house when three men arrived and opened fire on them." The woman is among those who died in the attack.
A local television reporter from the eNCA channel, who was at the scene, said the gunmen had set fire to a vehicle belonging to one of the victims before fleeing. Footage broadcast from the scene showed the burnt-out remains of the car.
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects, who remain at large.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Official police data shows the country records a murder rate equivalent to more than 60 deaths per day.
The attack comes amid heightened concern over violent crime in the country. In recent weeks, the discovery of at least nine murdered women, with some bodies dumped by roadsides, has intensified fears among communities. Last year, nine people were killed in a separate mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg.
Rivalry among criminal gangs, often linked to turf wars, drug trafficking and illegal mining, is common in South Africa and frequently drives violence within communities.
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa described organised crime as "the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development". He announced at the time that the army would be deployed to support police efforts to tackle the problem.
The latest shooting is likely to renew scrutiny of the government's response to organised crime and gang-related violence, as investigators work to determine the exact circumstances behind the attack in KwaMakhutha.
