National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has expressed confidence that the perpetrators of a mass shooting in Westbury that left two teenagers dead and five others critically injured will be apprehended.
The shooting, which occurred yesterday, is believed by authorities to be a gang-related attack connected to drugs. A case of murder and attempted murder has been opened.
The incident has sparked renewed outcry from the community regarding gang violence and policing inefficiencies. According to a national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, Commissioner Masemola and Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni are scheduled to engage with Westbury residents to address their concerns.
Community members have repeatedly voiced frustrations with the local Sophiatown police station, alleging that officers there have failed to assist them effectively.
In a chilling account, one of the survivors, a teenage boy who asked to be hidden from camera for fear of victimization, described the attack. He said four men entered a yard and opened fire on him and his friends.
“I saw my two friends were shot dead. The other four is still in hospital,” the teen said, revealing he was grazed by a bullet that remains lodged in his ear. When asked about a motive, he stated, “I really don’t know why they shoot us. But it’s all jealousy.” He vehemently denied any involvement with gangs.
The victim identified the assailants as members of the “Fast Guns” gang and alleged that a local gang leader had ordered the attack. He also expressed a profound fear of retaliation for speaking out, stating, “I know Avery is listening to us… He is going to come back.”
His testimony also shed light on the pervasive control gangs hold over daily life in the area. The teenager revealed he is no longer able to attend school because gangsters chase children away from the premises and lie in wait for them after school.
Despite his fear, the young man pledged to assist the police in their investigation. “I’m going to assist the police to get him,” he said. His personal aspiration, he stated, is simply to “go back to school, finish school, get a job, and move out of this place.”
As police in high-visibility vests prepared for the arrival of the top brass, the community awaited answers and action, hoping the promised engagement would lead to a tangible solution to the gang violence that continues to claim young lives.