“My nephew was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Those are the painful words of a grieving family following a deadly shooting in Westbury, Johannesburg, that has once again exposed the devastating toll of gang violence on innocent families.
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.
Two victims later died from their injuries, 19-year-old Reece 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 Gauteng police, 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.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said investigators are still trying to determine why the attack happened.
“The motive of the shooting is still unknown as the investigation into murder and attempted murder continues,” she said.
For Reece’s family, the tragedy is deeply personal.
A relative, who asked to be identified only as Kruger to protect the family’s identity, said the 19-year-old had matriculated in 2025 and had taken a gap year while helping his father build a small business supplying marketing materials.
Kruger said the father-and-son team had been working hard to grow the venture in the hope that it would one day allow the family to move away from the violence that has long gripped Westbury.
On the day of the shooting, they had been working together before returning home for a short break. Reece’s father allowed him a few minutes to greet a friend who lived around the corner.
“His father gave him 10 minutes to greet a friend around the corner from where they live. In those ten minutes gunshots went off, his father told his younger brothers to get inside the house only to be told by somebody passing by that his son Reece had just been shot,” she said.
Kruger said the family had recently moved to the area and Reece was still unfamiliar with some of the surrounding streets. They lived in Fairlands, Johannesburg, before moving to Westbury about a year ago.
She said Reece and his friends had been standing outside the yard of the boy he went to visit when chaos suddenly erupted.
“The two boys ran straight up the road and Reece to his right not knowing it's a dead end because he was not very familiar with the area,” she said.
Reece was the eldest of four brothers and someone the younger boys looked up to.
Kruger said Reece’s father had always tried to shield his children from the violence that has plagued Westbury for years.
“His father kept his boys indoors for most of the time because of the shooting.
“I would constantly tell my sister to please make sure the boys are indoors and she would say to me the boys don't walk around unless they are going to the shop or to Reece's friend who lives around the corner. I guess this wasn't enough to keep Reece safe,” she added.
She said the family’s grief is also mixed with frustration at what residents see as a failure to stop the violence.
“The violent killings and witnesses fearing for their lives in Westbury have become the norm. Politicians make promises to bring safety to the area but this doesn't happen, it's absolutely insane what these young boys are allowed to get away with,” Kruger said.
The shooting has once again drawn national attention to gang violence in Westbury.
On Saturday, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia visited the area following the attack. He stopped at the Sophiatown police station before visiting victims in hospital.
“We cannot allow communities like Westbury to live under the fear of gangs,” Cachalia said.
He added that police would intensify operations to ensure those responsible are arrested.
“We are working with police leadership to ensure that those responsible are tracked down and brought to justice.”
However, residents said promises alone are no longer enough.
Local councillor Marilyne Smouse said the community is demanding stronger intervention, including the deployment of the army.
“Our community is angry. We are angry. We are tired. Now the other day with the SOPA and all these things - when the president said that he is giving the go-ahead on the army being deployed. We want the army. That is what we are crying for. They need to be deployed immediately to our communities. That is what we are looking forward to and we want more police visibility.”
Cachalia acknowledged the calls but warned that the deployment of soldiers could take longer.
“I think the deployment of the army is the right decision. The deployment will take longer than I expected… Police are trained to do policing - soldiers are not trained to use proportionate force.”
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature has previously warned that the growing involvement of young people in violent crime in Westbury reflects a deeper breakdown of community safety and social cohesion and has called for intensified police operations to remove illegal firearms and dismantle gang networks.
Meanwhile, Reece’s grieving family is preparing to hold a night vigil in the street where he and others over the years were shot.
The Star
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