9 March 2026
Residents of Westbury in Gauteng say they support the call for the army to be deployed to their community following Thursday’s mass shooting, which claimed two lives and resulted in the injury of three others, including a 15-month-old baby.
IOL has reported that the latest mass shooting took place on Thursday evening, after gunmen opened fire, in what residents believe was a gang-related attack.
The victims were 19-year-old Reece Oliphant, and a yet to be identified adult female.
Bianca Oliver, a community leader in the area indicated that the possible deployment of the army would be welcomed as the community ‘has suffered long enough at the hands of gang members’.
“We can’t keep saying that this is gang related killings, but it is just senseless killings that are affecting our community because not everyone that is shot is part of a gang. We don’t know what transpired when that shooting took place as it happened so fast.
“The community is angry but not angry enough. We have begged and pleaded that the army needs to come out and assist…we need more assistance on the ground,” Oliver said.
This latest shooting comes just months after a similar incident claimed the lives of two teenagers in October 2025. The shooting has once again intensified fears in the community, where residents say innocent bystanders are often caught in the crossfire of ongoing gang violence.
According to Gauteng police, the victims were standing at the corner of Larkspur Court and Jacaranda Court when an unknown number of suspects opened fire on them. All five victims sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital, where the adult woman was declared dead on arrival.
The acting minister of police, Firoz Cachalia on Saturday indicated that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to Westbury in Johannesburg, will take longer than expected.
Source:iol
