Westbury residents feel like they are living in a war zone

Residents of Westbury, a Johannesburg suburb, are living under the impression that they are in a war zone following a series of violent incidents. This sentiment emerged after a shooting on Saturday night that claimed the lives of three young men aged 18 to 20, leaving two others wounded. Community leader Humphrey Birkenstock declared, "We realized that we are in a war zone, Westbury is a war zone, everybody in this community either they are related to someone who was killed, shot, or they know someone or a neighbour."

He further explained that the killings have instilled such fear in the community that people are hesitant to venture outside their homes.

Bishop Dulton Adams, an anti-gang activist and a member of the Gauteng Legislature, has expressed his disillusionment with traditional methods like marches and petitions, stating, "I refuse to march any longer; I refuse to lead the community into any other memorandums or petitions. It does not work." He emphasized the need for a more effective security plan, questioning why Operation Prosper, a previous initiative, failed to yield the desired results.

Adams also voiced his concerns over the caliber of weapons used, noting the first-time sighting of Uzi machine guns in the area, which he believes signifies a dangerous escalation in gang warfare and killings.

The police are actively searching for the suspects responsible for these heinous acts, while the residents of Westbury plead for an end to the ongoing bloodshed.