The bail application hearing of the five alleged gangsters accused of a deadly shootout that killed two teenagers and wounded four others in Westbury has been postponed to November 19 in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court.
The postponement came after the state indicated it was not ready to proceed, as an identity parade still needed to be conducted.
Defence lawyers expressed frustration over the delay, asking why the state had not yet completed the process.
The matter stems from last month’s gang-related shooting in Westbury, where two teenagers were killed and four others wounded. Police said the victims, aged between 14 and 19, were attacked by five suspects believed to be from a rival gang.
The shooting reignited long-standing anger and fear in the community, which has for years been plagued by gang violence.
Residents say the deaths of the young victims reportedly caught in the crossfire have left families shattered.
Chad Petersen, a Westbury resident, said the community has had enough of the bloodshed.
“We are tired of the killings and shootings that keep happening in Westbury. Every time we think it is getting better, another family is burying a child. We hope justice will prevail this time,” said Peterson.
Another resident, Candice Jacobs, expressed fear for the safety of her children.
Jacobs said, “We now fear for our lives and our children’s lives. These gangsters are killing children. Imagine if all those teenagers had died that day. All these families are in pain, and the community is traumatised.”
Brandon Michaels, a community member, believes the violence is a symptom of a deeper struggle for control between rival drug dealers.
“These shootings are mostly about drug lords marking their territory. The young people caught in the middle are paying the price for something that has nothing to do with them,” Michaels told TimesLIVE.
TimesLIVE
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