- Seven teenagers were shot in Westbury, two fatally, but local leaders say the government ignored them in crime discussions.
- Community leader Eugene Dooms says over 300 killings have happened since the GNU began.
Angry Westbury residents have accused the government of ignoring their voices in the fight against gang violence after yet another deadly shooting.
This comes after seven teenagers were shot in broad daylight, leaving two dead. Gauteng police said the attack was gang-related and confirmed that four adults and a minor have been arrested.
On Monday, top officials including Police Minister Prof Firoz Cachalia, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, Public Safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, and National Police Commissioner General Fanie Masemola met for a stakeholder engagement – just over a kilometre from Westbury.
But the community wasn’t invited.
Local leader Eugene Dooms told Scrolla.Africa he only found out about the meeting when he saw it on the news. “I was taken by surprise because we must be consulted about such engagements so we can give our opinions as people on the ground,” he said.
Dooms said violence has worsened since the start of the Government of National Unity. “We’ve recorded over 300 killings. We have a bloated GNU, yet crime is escalating and the national police ministry isn’t coming up with tangible solutions.”
Westbury has a long history of gang violence and broken promises.
In 2018, then police minister Bheki Cele deployed 143 Tactical Response Team members after a drug turf war led to protests and police clashes. Last year, Cele returned for an Imbizo after two people were killed and 11 injured, again sending in a task team.
Last month, National Commissioner Fanie Masemola deployed the anti-gang unit, which has arrested 19 suspects and secured 11 convictions.
But Dooms says nothing will change until the government speaks directly with the people living the reality. “Until they engage us and include us in finding solutions, this violence will not end,” he said.
Pictured above: Police during a protest in Westbury.
Image source: File
