Westbury in Johannesburg is well on the way to becoming the “next Cape Flats” as drugs, illegal guns and gangsterism are tearing the community apart, just as has been happening in Cape Town.
Civil body Action Society had serious concerns Westbury – with a pattern of violence, gang control, drug trafficking – is manifesting with increasing clarity into the Cape Flats, it’s spokesperson, Juanita du Preez, said.
“Just as in the Cape Flats, there is a developing culture of silence and fear; many residents say they know who the criminals are, but fear reprisals, or feel the state is absent,” she said.
Gang violence, drugs and fear grip Westbury
Her comments follow this week’s deadly suspected gang-related shooting in Westbury that left two teenagers dead and four others hospitalised.
A security company working in the area claimed the six victims, aged between 14 and 19, were shot by three suspects believed to be from a rival gang.
Du Preez said while Westbury has a unique history, demographics and challenges, the pattern echoes what has happened in other high-violence suburbs. When drug and gang economies embed themselves and the state’s presence is erratic, violence becomes the backdrop of daily life.
ALSO READ: Ending gang crime requires community cooperation, says Masemola as Westbury teenagers are hunted
“Action Society calls for immediate and comprehensive action in Westbury, which includes restoring a visible, consistent law-enforcement presence and youth and social interventions that provide alternatives to gang life: employment, safe spaces, mentorship, after-school programmes and also victim support and trauma interventions.”
There should also be investigations of allegations of police complicity, corruption and intimidation of witnesses, Du Preez said.
“Unless decisive intervention is taken in Westbury, the community risks being trapped in a self-reinforcing cycle of fear, violence and marginalisation. We owe Westbury better.”
Collapse of safety and community trust
The recent shooting is yet another stark reminder of the collapse of safety and community trust in the area, she said.
Criminal law expert Cornelia van Graan said the state is under an obligation to protect vulnerable groups, such as children.
Rural criminologist Witness Maluleka said the signs of mapping Westbury and Cape Flats had been ignored by relevant stakeholders, with Westbury becoming dangerous by day.
ALSO READ: Two teenagers killed, four injured in suspected gang-related shooting in Westbury
Vulnerable children are caught in the web of uncontrolled drugs, unlicensed firearms and alcohol abuse, including various crimes, Maluleka said.
“Overall, new strategies should be introduced, since the active ones, coupled with the alleged criminality, politicised and corrupt criminal justice system, are ineffective to curb the murders.
“This includes being protected from gangs and the violence they bring. It is time that the SA Police Service cooperate with community stakeholders and specialised units to address not only crime, but also the socioeconomic factors that cause crime and juveniles to turn to gangs,” he said.
Community mirrors the Cape Flats’ deadly pattern
In a report on gang-related violence between October and December 2024, 263 of 294 gang-related murders occurred in the Western Cape, accounting for 90% of the country’s total, security investigator Mike Bolhuis said.
AfriForum community safety chief spokesperson Jacques Broodryk said communities like Westbury continue to live under siege because of ongoing gang warfare and a lack of policing.
“AfriForum has long warned that the state’s failure to control illegal firearms and dismantle organised criminal networks is costing innocent lives,” he said.
NOW READ: Thirsty Joburg demands change
About the Author
