Councillor Genevieve Sherman urges action in Westbury gang crisis
She pressed leaders to confront the deep social and economic causes driving gang violence and offered possible solutions to the crisis.
Ward 69 councillor Genevieve Sherman used a crucial safety engagement on November 10 to highlight the social and economic conditions driving gang-related violence in Westbury.
The meeting, held at JMPD headquarters and attended by SAPS members, acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia and Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, aimed to find sustainable solutions to a crisis that has shaken the community for years.
Read more: Update: 7 teenagers shot: 2 teenagers killed, 5 receive medical attention after Westbury shooting
Sherman cautioned that the turmoil cannot be addressed through policing alone. She argued that the roots of the violence reach back decades, with many Westbury residents still facing the same marginalisation that persisted long after apartheid.
She stressed that, despite the promises of transformation, coloured communities remain excluded from meaningful economic participation, and policies such as BEE and Affirmative Action have often failed to deliver tangible upliftment.
This long-term exclusion, she said, has produced a generation of young people who feel invisible — unable to access work opportunities, blocked from higher education and surrounded by conditions where crime becomes a form of survival rather than a chosen path.
Also read: Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia engages Westbury community on rising gang-related crimes
Sherman insisted that any strategy to curb gangsterism must begin with real economic inclusion: local hiring, small business support and access to infrastructure projects. She called for targeted youth empowerment through bursaries, apprenticeships and skills programmes.
Strengthening CPFs, neighbourhood watches and social development initiatives, she said, is just as essential as police visibility.
She also pressed for after-school programmes, mentorship partnerships and reintegration support for former offenders.
Sherman urged leaders to reject hopelessness and prioritise transformation that restores safety, opportunity and dignity.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
