Community leader Bishop Dalton Adams addresses residents at Mabaleng Open Grounds during a community gathering calling for coordinated action to end gang violence in Westbury. Photo: Luyanda Danca/NNA News | Johannesburg, South Africa | 4 August 2026.

NNA News - Residents of Westbury have united in a renewed call to reclaim their community from gang violence, urging government, police and civil society to work together to restore safety, support affected families and create opportunities for young people. The community gathered at Mabaleng Open Grounds on Monday following a series of shootings that have claimed lives and left children and teenagers caught in the crossfire. Residents said the violence has created a cycle of fear, grief and retaliation that can only be broken through collective action.

The gathering focused not only on law enforcement but also on addressing the social and emotional impact of violence on families, particularly young people growing up in affected communities.

Mother of an eight-year-old boy, Cheslin Abrahams, said many families continue to carry unresolved trauma and require greater support to heal. "We need enough workshops to help parents deal with grief, trauma and also unforgiveness. Because, to be honest with you, unforgiveness is the cause of what is happening. It is retaliation, death and revenge against each other," Abrahams told NNA News. Parents attending the gathering said violence often leaves children carrying emotional scars that, if left untreated, can fuel another generation of conflict.

Father of a 16-year-old boy, Luwayne Hendricks, said many young people are growing up with anger after losing loved ones to gang violence. "There is a young boy who is still at school who lost his father, and they live as squatters. This child is sitting with revenge in his mind. You have a mother at home who is also angry, and she sits down and says there must be blood that needs to run because of my son's death," Hendricks said.

Westbury residents attend a community gathering at Mabaleng Open Grounds to discuss solutions to gang violence and promote community safety. Photo: Luyanda Danca/NNA News | Johannesburg, South Africa | 4 August 2026.

Community leaders stressed that lasting peace cannot be achieved through policing alone. They argued that residents must become active participants in rebuilding trust, preventing crime and supporting vulnerable families.

Community leader Bishop Dalton Adams said intelligence gathering, community participation and stronger cooperation with law enforcement are essential to dismantling criminal networks. "I think the community must really stand up, own up and be the change that they want to see. When it comes to the SAPS, it is important that we need to get intelligence and we need to engage the security cluster. We want people from other areas to come and do the intelligence work for us. So if guns are being sold to communities, it must be rooted out, and those responsible must face consequence management," Adams said.

Residents also called for greater investment in youth development programmes, trauma counselling, education and employment opportunities, arguing that tackling the root causes of violence is as important as removing illegal firearms from the streets. While Westbury's challenges are unique, community members said their message resonates with many urban communities across South Africa and the African continent, where crime, unemployment and social inequality continue to place young people at risk.

Residents gather at Mabaleng Open Grounds in Westbury, Johannesburg, during a community meeting calling for an end to gang violence and safer neighbourhoods. Photo: Luyanda Danca/NNA News | Johannesburg, South Africa | 4 August 2026.

Residents expressed hope that Monday's gathering would mark the beginning of sustained action, with communities, government and law enforcement working together to create safer neighbourhoods and a more secure future for the next generation.