Johannesburg – At least six teenagers were shot – two of them fatally – in Westbury in what appears to be gang-related violence.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, on Tuesday, 21 October 2025, said the police in Sophiatown responded to a shooting incident in Westbury.
“The victims were rushed to the hospital. Two of them were declared dead on arrival, and four are receiving medical attention,” said Brigadier Muridili.
“Preliminary reports suggest that the shooting was gang-related.
“It is reported that the six, aged between 14 and 19 years, were shot at by three suspects believed to be from a rival gang.”
Brigadier Muridili said the provincial Anti-Gang Unit was on the scene together with the South African Police Service Forensic Services.
District Crime Intelligence has also been mobilised to assist the Anti-Gang Unit with the tracing of the suspects.
For months, residents have endured daily fear, with over 70 murders in the area linked to gangs since early 2024.
The streets have been turned into war zones between rival gangs.
Tensions peaked in June 2025 when locals attacked the police Anti-Gang Unit officers during a drug bust, drawing condemnation from Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.
