Africa-Press – South-Africa. Residents of Westbury in Johannesburg protested outside their local police station on Wednesday after armed assailants shot dead two people in separate incidents in the area, which has seen a resurgence in gang-related violence.
Residents gathered outside Sophiatown police station and demanded that the police’s top management in Gauteng come out to hear their concerns.
Councillor Melissa Davids told News24 the latest shootings happened hours apart. She said residents lived in constant fear for their safety.
Davids said gun-wielding killers shoot randomly at people in the streets and in their homes.
She added:
She said meetings with the police often yielded no results while residents were accused of shielding criminals from arrest.
“There were several occasions when residents reported a crime and identified the shooters, and we hear [the residents have] been shot. Now the community can’t speak because it seems the same police are taking money from these guys. Now people are scared to talk because they will get killed, and the cycle continues,” she added.
According to Davids, the challenges in her community have taken an emotional toll on her.
Police comment will be added once received.
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