Acting Gauteng police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana says police have identified three of the suspects in the murder of two Westbury teenagers this week.
“We know who they are, their parents, their addresses, three of them. The fourth one we don’t know. The team is following them because, for obvious reasons, they didn’t go back to their houses.”
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola called on the four teenage suspects to hand themselves in.
“You know who you are; we are looking for you, but we are also encouraging you to hand yourselves over. We cannot circulate their pictures, as they are minors, and we must adhere to the Child Justice Act,” said Masemola as he and Kekana visited the crime scene on Wednesday.
Kekana said the police have videos of the suspects.
“We also have video footage of when they came and when they left. As soon as the teams succeed in locating them, we have to take them in and make sure they face justice.”
Kekana said many shots were fired at a group of teenagers in Westbury, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, leaving two dead and five wounded.
“They are more than 20 [rounds of ammunition], but the scene is still being processed. What I can highlight is that three of those four suspects were armed. The fourth one was unarmed,” Kekana told reporters.
He said the seven boys, aged between 13 and 19, were sitting smoking outside a house in Croesus Street.
“During the day, about past [1pm], four men came and found there were seven [teenagers] seated there at the house. Without provocation, they started shooting at those young people.”
The attack claimed the lives of a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old, while five others remain in hospital, one in critical condition.
“They are being attended to in hospital and due to the severity, the community felt they can’t wait for an ambulance; they had to immediately move them to hospital so that they receive medical attention,” said Kekana.
Masemola raised concern about the involvement of children in gang-related activities.
“This is a disturbing trend we have picked up in parts of the country, with children as young as 13 to 17 used as runners by older gang members and leaders. They are being recruited at a young age and do the dirty work for older members of gangs.”
Masemola also highlighted the escalating gang-related violence in high-risk areas such as Westbury.
“Since January, we have had 19 gangsters arrested in Westbury. These were gang members found in possession of illegal firearms or drugs and arrested for their involvement in gang-related murders.”
He said 11 suspects were convicted and sentenced to prison terms for gang-related activities in the same period.
“There is a plan in place to prevent and combat gang-related activities. We require the support of the community and parents to report wrongdoing to police.
“The family unit plays an important role to assist the work of the police. It must start at home, where parents and guardians do their part in instilling discipline and monitoring their children. The children should have been in school classrooms,” he said.
TimesLIVE
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