Cleveland Mass Shooting: Police Confident of Making a Breakthrough After Obtaining Video Footage

• Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni has provided an update following the mass shooting at Jumpers Informal Settlement in Cleveland
• The Gauteng Police Commissioner also condemned the shooting, which claimed the lives of nine men and three women on 9 June 2026
• South Africans weighed in on the police commissioner's comments as they voiced their opinions about the shooting and the response

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni is confident that police will make a breakthrough soon following a mass shooting in Jumpers Informal Settlement in Cleveland, Johannesburg.

A total of nine men and three women were declared dead after gunmen opened fire at the settlement on the night of 9 June 2026. Nine people were rushed to the hospital for further treatment following the brazen incident.

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A manhunt has since been launched for the suspects, and General Mthombeni is confident that police are closing in on the suspects.

Police obtain video footage

Speaking about the investigations into the shooting, the Gauteng Police Commissioner said that the police obtained video footage, which was aiding them.

“We believe that we will be able to have a breakthrough as time goes on, because we are systematically following the leads. The other thing is that with the video footage, we were in a position to access some of the information which is helping us in terms of the investigation,” he said.

General Mthombeni describes the shooting as barbaric

During a visit to the scene of the crime on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, General Mthombeni said police had not determined the motive for the attack but conceded that there were suspicions that it may be linked to rampant illegal mining. He also condemned the shooting.

"We can term this incident to be heartless, and to a high extent, barbaric," he said.

South Africans weigh in on General Mthombeni’s comments

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Social media users weighed in on General Mthombeni’s comments, sharing mixed reactions to them.

Joseph Somanje said:

“You allowed Zama Zamas to flourish. That’s allowing militant groups to operate.”

Kenton Bongane stated:

“Police only condemn. No action will be taken.”

Celani Nkonyane agreed:

“Condemn, condemn, condemn. It's all they know. Nothing else.”

Marius Botha said:

“Zama Zama motivated murders. The State does nothing to stop them. I will not be surprised if government officials have a finger in the illicit mining activities.”

Agrippa Nkhumba said:

“They should first find out who is doing mining there. Those who are doing mining, they know their enemies. Because the shooting was targeted at those who are staying there and mining. They were fighting for business. Unfortunately, all they killed were innocent people. They killed them just out of anger.”

Other mass shootings in 2026

Briefly News has reported that there have been several shootings in the Western Cape in 2026.

• A mass shooting in Athlone in February 2026 claimed three lives, including a nine-month-old baby's.
• Three people were shot dead and four were injured in a mass shooting in Kalksteenfontein in March 2026.
• Four people were killed in three separate shootings in Mitchells Plain in April 2026, as gun violence continues unabated.

Source: Briefly News