Eleven people were wounded in a shooting at Mary Fitzgerald Square near the Johannesburg CBD, in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The shooting happened at 3am, a mere two hours after a drive-by shooting that claimed two lives and left at least six other people injured in Melville, Johannesburg.

Acting Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said in a statement on Wednesday that the provincial government condemned both incidents.

“Today we wake up to shocking news that people have been shot dead, while others are critically injured. As a province we are saddened by this barbaric act.

“New Year’s Day is a day of hope and celebration, a day where people plan their lives for the better,” he said.

The Gauteng government said a person had fired several shots from the upper level of the nearby M2 (south bound) double-decker bridge, targeting the VIP area at Mary Fitzgerald Square.

“I have all the trust in our police that the perpetrators will be brought to book. We are determined as a province to halve crime by 2030, this incident will not deter us in achieving this vision.” Lesufi added.

He urged residents with information regarding the incident to come forward.