Police on the hunt for Westbury shooter

Gauteng police are still searching for a motorist who fired several rounds of live ammunition during an anti-crime protest in Westbury‚ Johannesburg.

“We are still looking for him and investigating the incident. We know who the person is‚” said police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini.

Unrest erupted in the area last week after a 45-year-old woman was shot and killed during a shootout between three men. A 10-year-old girl was wounded in the incident.

Residents vowed to shut down the area to mourn her death and called on government to deploy the army to clean up the drug-ridden area.

On Friday afternoon‚ as the motorist drove into Westbury‚ protesters‚ who had blocked roads with rocks and burning tyres‚ confronted him and told him to use a different route. “Please‚ my man‚ turn around‚ use a different route. We don’t want to fight‚” one protester was overheard saying.

After making a U-turn‚ the man fired several shots through the car window‚ frightening the protestors. “We are fighting… violence in the area and this is what this man does‚” a protester shouted.

The motorist fled the scene with police officers hot on his heels. The area was later cordoned off by police and empty bullet casings lay littered across the road.

The vehicle has been found to belong to Westrand Medical Transport‚ which declined to comment when contacted by TimesLIVE on Monday.

Two men were expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of murder and attempted murder related to the shooting of the woman and child. Two others were due to appear in the same court on public violence charges.

Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said the situation in the area on Monday remained tense and that police had fired rubber bullets to disperse people.