Westbury shooting highlights gang violence and community despair

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. 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 ofWestbury, 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.

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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.

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