OUR CITY NEWS: Two more killed in Westbury as gang violence escalates sharply
Following the shootings only hours apart, residents of Westbury say gang violence in the area is the worst it’s been in a long time.
Two additional fatalities occurred in Westbury, amplifying the surge in gang-related violence. On Monday, September 7, Abdulrazaak Mohamed Moolla, a 53-year-old scholar transport driver, was shot multiple times after dropping off schoolchildren and attempting to park his vehicle outside a block of flats. Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko stated that the gunmen fled the scene in a blue Volkswagen Polo, and Moolla was pronounced dead at the location. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and no arrests have been made.
Less than 24 hours later, a man aged 37 was killed in an incident occurring on the same street where Moolla had been murdered the previous day. Sibeko confirmed that no arrests had yet been made in this second case, with investigations ongoing. Upon arriving at the scene, Our City News observed a brightly colored blanket covering the victim, with a black work boot protruding from one end and a substantial pool of blood nearby.
Graffiti associated with the Varados gang adorned the walls of an alley adjacent to the murder spot.
SAPS officers and heavily armed SANDF members were present during the investigation, while SAPS investigators marked the crime scene with yellow markers and secured it with police tape. Despite these measures, Our City News' photographer struggled to capture images due to obstructed views by the police. Local residents provided testimonies about witnessing at least 17 gunshots, describing men fleeing the area and firing an additional shot to deter any witnesses.
The community of Westbury, with a population of barely one square kilometer, has been grappling with gang violence for decades. Residents expressed their frustration and concern over the escalating crime, emphasizing that they had lived through numerous similar incidents in the past. Bridget "Aunty Bree" Munnik, a longtime resident and volunteer at the Westbury Youth Centre, expressed her worry over the persistent presence of gang-related issues, stating that her community needed urgent action to address the underlying problems of drug addiction and crime.
Independent analyst David Bruce highlighted the role of alienation and the allure of gang life for young people, warning that breaking this cycle remains a formidable challenge due to the entanglement of gangs with drug-related activities.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
