Police are investigating whether illegal mining may be linked to a mass shooting that killed 12 people at Jumpers informal settlement in Gauteng.

Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni said it was still too early to confirm the motive.

The shooting happened in the early hours of Wednesday at the settlement, east of Johannesburg.

According to police, a group of heavily armed suspects allegedly got out of a minibus parked at a petrol station opposite the settlement before walking into the area and opening fire.

Nine of the people killed were men and three were women.

Mthombeni said investigators were still collecting evidence and taking statements.

“This shooting could be linked to illegal mining activities or people living in the area but it is too early to confirm any link to illegal mining,” he said.

He said the possibility could not be ruled out because some victims were found in an area that appeared to be used for processing material linked to illegal mining.

Mthombeni said two or three of the victims were discovered in that area.

More than 10 crime scenes

Police are investigating multiple crime scenes across the settlement.

Mthombeni said at least 10 crime scenes had already been identified.

“It is estimated there are no fewer than 10 crime scenes spread across the settlement,” he said.

“You can see that the people involved really knew the terrain. You find two people in one place and others in different locations across the settlement.”

About 10 people were injured and taken to the hospital.

Mthombeni said the number of injured people could rise.

Hard drive recovered

Police have recovered a hard drive that may assist the investigation.

Mthombeni said it was found in another section of the settlement while forensic pathology teams were processing the scene and recovering a body.

“We’re still collecting information, but on the other side of the settlement, we managed to recover a hard drive, which the team is investigating,” he said.

Police are continuing to gather evidence as investigators work to establish who carried out the attack and why.