The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety is deeply shocked and saddened by the mass shooting that occurred earlier today in Westbury, Sophiatown.
Six teenagers were shot in what is believed to be a gang-related incident. Tragically, two of the victims were declared dead on arrival at hospital, while four others remain under medical care.
According to preliminary reports from the South African Police Service (SAPS), the victims aged between 14 and 19 were allegedly targeted by three suspects believed to be affiliated with a rival gang. The Provincial Anti-Gang Unit and SAPS Forensic Services are currently on the scene, and District Crime Intelligence has been mobilised to assist in tracing the suspects.
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 terrorizing this community and many others across the Province.
In response, the Committee makes the following urgent calls:
Intensified SAPS Operations:
We call upon SAPS to immediately intensify and sustain targeted operations to locate, confiscate, and destroy the vast number of illegal firearms in circulation in Westbury and across Gauteng. A centralised and urgent audit of firearms lost from state institutions and private security companies must be prioritised.
Gun Violence Data and Advocacy: The Committee reiterates its call for SAPS to begin reporting detailed statistics on crimes committed using firearms. We further call for strengthened support for initiatives such as Gun Free South Africa, which advocate for safer communities through the reduction of firearm-related violence.
Deployment of Specialised Units:
We call for the urgent deployment of specialised Police units including Tactical Response Teams, the Anti-Gang Unit, and Crime Intelligence to Westbury. A high-density, visible policing operation is essential to stabilise the area, dismantle criminal networks, and prevent further bloodshed.
Multi-Pronged Strategy for Sustainable Safety: While immediate law enforcement action is critical, the Committee emphasises that long-term safety requires a multi-sectoral approach.
We call for increased investment in social services, youth development programmes, and economic opportunities to address the root causes of crime and provide young people with alternatives to violence.
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.
The Committee stands in solidarity with the law-abiding residents of Westbury and commits to exercising its oversight role to ensure that SAPS and other relevant government agencies act with the urgency this situation demands.
ISSUED BY GPL’S MEDIA SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, HONOURABLE BANDILE MASUKU
