Alleged gang violence involving teenagers has resulted in the fatal shooting of two teens and the injury to five after four armed teens opened fire against their alleged rivals in Westbury at about 1pm on Tuesday.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Gang violence does not emerge in a vacuum. It grows in communities where there is long-term neglect, high unemployment, poor urban management, and limited opportunities for young people.
This is how Matthew Cook, GOOD national chairperson and PR Councillor in the City of Johannesburg, summed up the latest deadly shooting incident that happened in Westbury, Johannesburg.
"For residents of Westbury, these incidents are not isolated events. Communities have been living with persistent gang activity, drug trafficking, and illegal firearms for years. Each new shooting simply confirms what residents already know: government responses have been reactive, fragmented, and insufficient," Cook added.
"When children are caught in the crossfire in their own neighbourhoods, it is a sign that the state has lost its grip on safety in that community. The city cannot simply wait for the next shooting before responding.''
On Thursday evening, March 5, gunmen opened fire in the area, leaving five people wounded, including a 15-month-old baby, in what residents believe was a gang-related attack.
Two victims later died from their injuries, 19-year-old Reece Oliphant and an adult woman who was the mother of the toddler. The shooting has intensified fears in the community, where residents said innocent bystanders are frequently caught in the crossfire of ongoing gang warfare.
According to a family member, Reece "was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Gauteng police said the victims were standing at the corner of Larkspur Court and Jacaranda Court when an unknown number of suspects suddenly opened fire on them. All five victims sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to hospital, where the woman was declared dead on arrival.
A relative, who asked to be identified only as Kruger to protect the family’s identity, said the 19-year-old matriculated in 2025 and took a gap year while helping his father build a small business that supplies marketing materials.
What lies behind gang violence in Wesbury? Gang activity flourishes where public spaces are neglected, says Cook.
"The city must strengthen urban management through improved street lighting, CCTV coverage, maintenance of public spaces, and visible law enforcement patrols.
"Youth in communities like Westbury are often recruited into gangs because there are few viable alternatives. Investment in youth programmes, sports, skills development, and local economic opportunities is essential to break this cycle.''
Kruger said the father-and-son team had been working hard to grow the venture, hoping it would one day allow the family to move away from the violence that has long gripped Westbury.
Kruger said the family had recently moved to the area, and Reece was still unfamiliar with some of the surrounding streets. They lived in Fairlands, Johannesburg, before moving to Westbury about a year ago.
In October of last year, six teenagers were shot in what is believed to be a gang-related incident in Westbury.
Following the shooting, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety stated that the involvement of young people in such brutal violence is a devastating indictment of the current state of community safety and social cohesion in the area. 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 committee identified easy access to illegal weapons as a primary enabler of the violence terrorising Westbury and many other communities across the province. Consequently, the committee called for intensified SAPS operations to locate, confiscate, and destroy the vast number of illegal firearms currently in circulation.
On Saturday, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia visited the area following the attack. He stopped at the Sophiatown police station before visiting victims in the hospital, stating, “We cannot allow communities like Westbury to live under the fear of gangs.” Cachalia added that police would intensify operations to ensure those responsible are tracked down and brought to justice.
However, residents maintain that promises alone are no longer enough. Local councillor Marilyne Smouse noted that the community is demanding stronger intervention, including the deployment of the South African National Defence Force.