Fourteen people were killed during a shootout in a bar in South Africa's Soweto township, close to Johannesburg, police said Sunday.

"We were called in the early hours of the morning, around 12:30 am (2230 GMT)," mentioned police lieutenant Elias Mawela after the shooting that happened overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Police initially confirmed that 12 people had died after arriving at the scene, but two later died of their injuries, Mawela added.

The lieutenant noted that 10 people were been injured and three others are in critical condition, with teenagers among the casualties.

The Sun quoted Mawela as saying that "Primary investigations suggest the people were enjoying themselves in the tavern" when suspects "just came in and shot at them randomly."

"The age range is just an estimation from my detectives to say they are between 19 and 35 years," the police lieutenant told outlet ENCA.

Orlando police station commander Brigadier Nonhlanhla Kubeka said that further information will be released soon.

22 dead of possible poisoning at club

The incident comes just a few weeks after 22 people died of possible "poisoning" at a club in the southern coastal South African town of East London.

Many of the victims are thought to have been students celebrating the end of their high-school exams on Saturday night, officials said.

Some early reports suggested that the deaths may have been caused by a stampede, but Unathi Binqose, an Eastern Cape community and safety department official, ruled out the suggestion.

"It’s difficult to believe it’s a stampede as there are no visible open wounds to those dead," Binqose told AFP.

“Forensic (investigators) will take samples and test to see if there was any poisoning of any sort,” he said.