Four Nigerians died when a group of men opened fire on them in Benoni, on the East Rand, police said on Friday, 6th July 2013.

Five men were in a Volkswagen Golf on Thursday evening when a car stopped in front of them, police spokesperson Tim Masilela said.

A group of men got out of the car and opened fire, killing two men in the Golf.

A wounded passenger tried to run away, but collapsed and died a few metres from the scene. A fourth man died later in hospital.

The fifth man in the car was not hurt.

"The motive behind the shooting is unknown. Police are still investigating," Masilela said.

Last Saturday, three Nigerians were killed in a cellphone shop in Voortrekker Street, Benoni. They were inside the shop when five armed men entered around 18:00, police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said at the time.

The five opened fire, killing two of the customers, both 38, inside the shop, and the third man, 40, at the shop door.

The gunmen fled in a green BMW. They were also believed to be Nigerians, said Dlamini.

He said the police found spent cartridges at the scene, and a licensed firearm belonging to one of the men who died. Nothing was stolen.

"The motive for the killing is still unknown but a possibility that the victims were a rival group is being investigated," he said.