Armed men have opened fire at a tavern in a township near the city of Johannesburg in South Africa, killing at least nine people and wounding 10, according to the police.

In a statement on Sunday, the police said a manhunt is under way for those involved in the shooting, which took place in the Bekkersdal township just before 1am local time (23:00 GMT on Saturday).

“It is reported that about 12 unknown suspects in a white kombi [a minibus] and a silver sedan opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene,” the police said in a statement.

“The tavern is licensed,” it added.

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The South African public broadcaster SABC reported that the unknown attackers opened fire on patrons of the tavern and people in the streets outside.

“We are still busy obtaining statements. Our national crime and management team has arrived,” Fred Kekana, acting police commissioner of Gauteng, told the SABC.

“The provincial crime scene management team has arrived, and a team from the local criminal record centre is here, so is our serious crime investigating team, crime intelligence and the provincial crime detective team is on scene,” he added.

Kekana also said that a driver with a ride-hailing service who was outside the bar is among those killed. A motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

Some media reports initially put the death toll at 10, but later revised to nine.

Authorities said the wounded were taken to hospital.

The shooting comes weeks after gunmen opened fire on an unlicensed tavern at a hostel in Saulsville township near the capital Pretoria, killing a dozen people, including a three-year-old child.

Shootings in South Africa, which faces high levels of violence, are often fuelled by criminal groups and competition between informal businesses.