South Africa's police said a manhunt was underway for the suspects. Photo / File

Five people have been killed in a drive-by shooting in South Africa with a manhunt underway, police say.

The Wednesday night shooting in Atlantis town in the coastal Western Cape province also left five people injured after sustaining gunshot wounds.

The victims were between 18 and 30 years old, police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said.

“According to reports, the victims were returning home from the beach when unknown gunmen opened fire on the three vehicles they were travelling in,” Potelwa said.

Gang violence

The authorities suspect the shooting was gang-related and investigations on murder and attempted murder have been opened.

"No one has been arrested for the incident that is believed to be gang-related,” the police spokesperson said.

The incident comes nearly a month after 18 people were killed in a mass shooting in a remote town in the neighbouring Eastern Cape province. The motive for the shootings was unknown.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the continent.

Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.

TRT Afrika