Key Takeaways
- Since July, 22 people have been killed in Westbury, Johannesburg, amid a brutal turf and drug war between the Varados and Fast Guns gangs.
- Community activist Eugene Dooms describes the violence as a “systematic genocide” and criticizes the uncoordinated deployment of the SANDF under Operation Prosper, which has cost R823 million with little tangible result.
- Infighting has spawned splinter groups, turning the conflict into a lawless free‑for‑all where factions fight for control of the drug trade.
- A viral video from August 15 shows Fast Guns members shooting each other, with audible .38 revolver fire and what sounds like automatic gunfire, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the attacks.
- The Gauteng Education Department reports that the August 17 shooting left five youths injured (three fatally), including a learner from R.W. Fick Secondary School, disrupting teaching, learning and assessments.
- Police confirmed four counts of murder and an attempted‑murder case after one of the injured victims later died; suspects remain unidentified.
- Residents, led by One Force SA, plan to march to the Johannesburg mayor’s office on August 21 to hand over a memorandum requesting the area be declared a state of disaster and to demand community‑led solutions.
Overview of the Crisis in Westbury
Residents of Westbury, a suburb of Johannesburg, live in constant fear as gunfire erupts on a daily basis. Two dominant street gangs—the Varados and the Fast Guns—are locked in a violent turf and drug war that has turned the neighbourhood into a battlefield. According to community activist Eugene Dooms of One Force SA, the period from July to August alone saw 22 fatalities, a figure he describes as evidence of a “systematic genocide” unfolding in the area. The pervasive threat of random gunshots means that ordinary activities such as walking to school or work are undertaken under the shadow of imminent danger.
Gang Infighting and the Rise of Splinter Groups
Dooms explains that the violence has moved beyond simple competition for drug markets and territory. Internal rivalries have caused the gangs to fracture, giving rise to numerous splinter groups, each eager to claim a share of the illicit profits. “These guys are turning on each other and now forming splinter groups because there are factions. Everyone wants a piece of the pie,” he said. This internal fragmentation has intensified the bloodshed, as former allies now battle one another with little regard for civilian safety.
Government Response: SANDF Deployment Under Operation Prosper
In an attempt to curb the violence, the national government has deployed the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to gang‑affected areas, including Gauteng, the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape, under Operation Prosper. The initiative has consumed an estimated R823 million. However, Dooms argues that the deployment lacks a coherent strategy: when shootings occur, the military either does not arrive in time or, when present, is not trained to apprehend perpetrators or gather intelligence. Consequently, there have been few prosecutions, and the community sees little return on the massive financial outlay.
Failure of Law Enforcement and Call for Community Action
The activist contends that law‑enforcement agencies are reactive rather than proactive, merely responding to incidents after they occur instead of preventing them. “Our law enforcement is not proactive. They are reactive. This is an indictment of the government that their strategy is not working,” Dooms asserted. He believes that the only viable path forward lies in mobilising the residents themselves. “Now, we can only save ourselves. It’s our kids killing one another. It is only us that can save us. Our community needs to come together and stand together,” he urged, highlighting the need for grassroots solidarity and self‑protection measures.
Planned March to the Mayor’s Office
In line with this call for collective action, Dooms, alongside fellow residents and local stakeholders, will march to the Johannesburg mayor’s office on Friday, August 21. The demonstrators intend to hand over a memorandum requesting that Westbury be declared a state of disaster. Such a declaration would unlock emergency funding and resources, enabling accelerated interventions such as increased policing, social programmes, and infrastructure improvements aimed at restoring safety and normalcy to the suburb.
Viral Shooting Footage from August 15
The gravity of the situation was amplified when a three‑minute video of a shooting incident, filmed on Saturday, August 15, went viral. The footage captures members of the Fast Guns exchanging gunfire in front of a block of flats. Audible throughout the clip are repeated gunshots, a voice identifying a .38 revolver, periods of silence between bursts, distant screams, and a commentator noting, “Someone was shot. They’re screaming. Someone was shot.” The video then shows a suspect wearing a white cap and grey top unleashing what sounds like automatic‑weapon fire, underscoring the lethality and indiscriminate nature of the gang clashes.
Impact on Education: Gauteng Department of Education’s Response
The escalating violence has spilled over into the education sector, prompting alarm from the Gauteng Education Department. MEC Lebogang Maile, overseeing Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, expressed deep concern after the August 17 shooting in Westbury, which left five youths injured—three fatally and two critically. Preliminary reports confirmed that one of the deceased was a learner from R.W. Fick Secondary School. The department noted that the unsafe environment prevented many learners from attending school or completing scheduled School‑Based Assessment (SBA) Common Papers and preliminary examinations.
Measures to Safeguard Learners’ Academic Progress
In response, Maile assured that learners who missed assessments due to the insecurity would be given alternate opportunities to write the examinations. “Learners who missed their SBA Common Papers or preliminary examinations because of the unsafe environment will be afforded an opportunity to write. No learner should be academically prejudiced by circumstances beyond their control,” she stated. This commitment aims to mitigate the long‑term educational repercussions of the gang violence while the broader security situation is addressed.
Police Investigation of the Newclare Shooting
Parallel to the Westbury incidents, police confirmed a shooting in Newclare on the same evening (August 15) at approximately 9:34 p.m. Officers responded to a complaint and discovered three victims aged 18‑20 deceased inside a flat. Two additional victims, aged 18 and 23, sustained gunshot wounds and were hospitalized. One of the injured later died from their injuries, raising the death toll to four and prompting police to open a case of attempted murder alongside four counts of murder. As of the latest update, suspects remain unidentified, and the investigation continues.
Conclusion: A Community at a Crossroads
Westbury stands at a perilous juncture where entrenched gang warfare, inadequate state response, and the trauma inflicted on civilians—especially youth—have created a humanitarian crisis. The voices of activists like Eugene Dooms and officials such as MEC Lebogang Maile underscore the urgent need for a coordinated, strategic approach that combines effective law enforcement, community engagement, and social intervention. Unless decisive steps are taken—potentially beginning with the declaration of a state of disaster and the implementation of locally driven safety initiatives—Westbury’s residents will continue to live under the relentless threat of gunfire, with their futures hanging in the balance.