South Africa police hunt suspects after 27 killed in two separate shootings

Onlookers gathered behind police lines at the scene of the shooting in Lwandle, on the outskirts of Cape Town, where gunmen opened fire in a venue selling grilled meat around 2:00am on Sunday (12:00 GMT), killing 10 people and injuring 11 more. Read:Three students killed in Philippine school shooting, including gunman, officials say.

In Wedela township, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Johannesburg, 17 people were killed and 15 injured at a tavern when suspects armed with AK-47 rifles opened fire at around 9:30pm on Saturday,. Threat to democracy.

Two burnt vehicles could be seen outside the tavern as authorities cordoned off the area on Sunday morning. No arrests have been made yet and detectives are working to find the perpetrators, police said in statements.

"South Africa has a serious illegal firearms problem, and firearms are frequently used by organised criminal groups as well as in gang-related and other violent crimes," said crime expert Yusuf Abramjee. Read More:Gunman fires inside Thai government office as country reels from school shooting"Every mass shooting should therefore trigger more than an investigation into the immediate perpetrators," he told.

Reuters. "Authorities need to look at the wider networks behind the violence. "Crime is expected to be a major issue for voters in municipal elections in November, when the African National Congress is facing further erosion of voter support.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier this year that organised crime had become the biggest threat to South Africa's democracy, and deployed the army to help police in some areas.

Ashooting at a house partynear Durban last week killed 11 people, while a series of women's bodies found near Johannesburg since July has renewed fear and anger over high rates of femicide.