Seven people shot dead in a home in S.Africa

Seven people were gunned down southwest of Johannesburg before the alleged shooter turned the gun on himself, police said Sunday, the latest in a string of mass shootings that have shocked South Africa.

Five family members, including a three-year-old boy, were killed at Mokokotlong, over 40 kilometres (24 miles) southwest of Johannesburg in the early hours of Sunday morning, police said. A neighbour and a family friend were also killed.

In a statement, the police said the shooting occurred after a man  had gone to a local tavern and, finding it closed, had an altercation with the tavern owner, who then followed him home.

According to authorities the tavern owner entered the home of the man and "opened fire at the family members" who had been gathered to celebrate a dowry ceremony.

"The suspect then drove back home... where he allegedly shot himself. He was rushed to the hospital but he died on arrival" police said.

Four people survived the shooting including a one-year-old boy who was rushed to hospital along with another person.

South Africa has one of the highest peacetime per capita homicide rates in the world.

Last month unknown gunmen shot dead seven members of the same family, including three children, near the country's east coast.

In another incident, 18 relatives were shot dead at a rural homestead in the country's Eastern Cape Province.

Nearly 6,200 people were murdered in the country between April and June, according to police figures released in August.