Six teenagers aged between 14 and 19 were gunned down on Tuesday in what is believed to be a gang-related attack in Westbury, Sophiatown.
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has called for urgent action to rid Westbury of illegal firearms and to deploy specialised police units, following a mass shooting that claimed the lives of two teenagers.
Police said six teenagers aged between 14 and 19 were gunned down on Tuesday in what is believed to be a gang-related attack in Westbury, Sophiatown.
Shooting
Two of the victims were declared dead on arrival at hospital, while four others remain under medical care.
Preliminary reports indicate that the victims were allegedly targeted by three suspects linked to a rival gang.
The Provincial Anti-Gang Unit and Saps Forensic Services processed the crime scene, while District Crime Intelligence has been mobilised to assist in tracing the gunmen.
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Shock
Committee Chairperson Bandile Masuku expressed shock and sadness at the killing, describing the incident as a “devastating indictment of the current state of community safety and social cohesion in Westbury.”
Masuku said the involvement of young people in such brutal violence is a devastating indictment of the current state of community safety and social cohesion in Westbury.
“This senseless loss of life and the ongoing climate of fear are directly linked to the scourge of gang violence, drug trafficking and the proliferation of illegal firearms in the area.
“The Committee believes that the easy access to illegal weapons is a primary enabler of the violence terrorising this community and many others across the province,” Masuku said.
Urgent call
The committee has made urgent calls for action, including:
- Intensified Saps operations to locate, confiscate and destroy illegal firearms in circulation in Westbury and across Gauteng and an audit of guns lost by state institutions and private security firms.
- The release of detailed firearm-related crime statistics and stronger support for initiatives such as Gun Free South Africa.
- The deployment of Specialised units, including Tactical Response Teams, the Anti-Gang Unit, and Crime Intelligence, to Westbury to stabilise the area, dismantle criminal networks, and prevent further bloodshed.
- A long-term safety strategy focusing on increased investment in social services, youth development programmes, and economic opportunities to address the root causes of crime.
Peace
Masuku said peace must be restored in Westbury and reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to holding law enforcement agencies accountable for swift and decisive action.
“Peace must prevail in Westbury. The residents of this community and all communities across Gauteng have a constitutional right to live in safety and without fear. The ongoing terror inflicted by a criminal minority must come to an end.”
Police investigations are continuing, and no arrests have been made in the matter.
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