Police in the South African province of Kwa-Zulu Natal say gunmen killed eight people after trying to gate crash a Christmas Eve party.

A police spokesman said the gunmen were turned away and then opened fire at random.

A search for them was underway.

The spokesman said it was unlikely the attack on Thursday in the coastal town of Margate was politically motivated.

President Mandela later appealed to people not to take the law into their own hands and resort to revenge attacks.