Westbury residents say gang war has left 22 dead in two months
JOHANNESBURG — Westbury residents say almost daily gunfire has turned their neighbourhood into a place of fear, after 22 people were killed in the area
JOHANNESBURG — Westbury residents say almost daily gunfire has turned their neighbourhood into a place of fear, after 22 people were killed in the area between July and August, according to community activist Eugene Dooms. The violence, he said, stems from a turf and drug war between the Varados and Fast Guns street gangs.
“We’re not free when walking in the streets because shots can go off randomly at any time,” Dooms, of One Force SA, told IOL. He described the bloodshed in Westbury, a community in Johannesburg, as devastating and said long-running gang activity had reached a new level of intensity.
A neighbourhood under strain
Residents say gunfire rings out daily. That constant threat has left families on edge, with two violent gangs now holding the community “at ransom,” in Dooms’ words. The activist said gangs have existed in the area since the late 1970s, but the current wave of killings stands apart for its scale and pace.
Westbury is not alone in facing gang-related violence, but the pace reported there is severe even by the standards of South Africa’s urban crime hotspots. Johannesburg, the country’s largest city and a major economic hub, has long contended with violent crime. Still, the latest death toll underscores how quickly local turf disputes can overwhelm a community and shape daily life.
‘A systematic genocide taking place’
Dooms used unusually stark language to describe the crisis. He said the killings amount to “a systematic genocide” in the area, reflecting how residents and activists view the repeated shootings. The comment points to the depth of anger and despair in a neighbourhood where the sound of gunfire has become routine rather than rare.
The clash between the Varados and Fast Guns is driving the violence, according to the source account. No further details were provided on arrests, victims or police interventions, and the available information centres on the toll residents say they are already paying: fear, uncertainty and the loss of neighbours in rapid succession.
Why Westbury matters beyond Johannesburg
Gang violence in South African cities often spreads its damage far beyond those directly targeted. It drives children indoors, disrupts schools and local businesses, and deepens distrust in public security. Westbury’s case is a reminder of how quickly a street-level conflict can become a wider social emergency.
For now, the numbers tell the story. Twenty-two dead in two months. And in Westbury, residents say the gunfire has not stopped.
