They live in daily fear of who might be next on the hit list. Not a day passes by without gunshots ringing in their ears leaving them wondering who just died. It can be anytime during the day even on a quiet day when children are at school. It has become their daily bread that a random car will pass by and start shooting at whoever. The residents of Westbury are forever on their knees praying that nobody gets caught in the crossfire.
SURVIVING TO THE NEXT DAY IS A PRIVILEGE
Residents may be near the almost affluent Auckland Park but the other side, their side of town, is a story of daily fear. Surviving until the next day is a privilege not many have lived to enjoy in this neighbourhood. Residents are concerned about the spate of killings in their neighbourhood and they say it's driven by drugs and gangsterism.Speaking to Zimoja a woman, who did want to be named, said their kasi is getting worse by the day.
She says on Wednesday two innocent people died as victims of drive by shootings by gang members. Last week an old man was who sitting outside his veranda in his wheelchair also got shot and died and nobody is taking the fall for all these killings. "We don't know where to go and we have nowhere to hide. These are our homes and innocent children and people getting killed. The police have failed us dismally and to a certain extent we believe that they are working with the gangs," she says.Mel explained that amabherethe came in droves into their neighbourhood and what transpired left concerned community members furious." We were not fighting or causing any disruptions. We camped outside the police station and prayed with the hope of our cries bring heard. Instead of sending the police to penetrate and root out all the criminals, they tasked them to pepper spray us," she said.
DEAD OR ALIVE
Another community member who refused to be identified fearing victimisation said walking to the local shops to buy bread is a dreaded exercise. "You don't know whether you'll come back dead or alive. It's just too scary especially when it's too quiet, it's as if some people already know that there will be another shooting. We've also heard that since we are marching like this our lives are in danger because there's a hit list with our names on it because drug lords don't want people in their business. But how can we keep quiet when it's out children dying?"she asks. She said they need a police escort to visit the bereaved families but there's no van in sight. "We are out here but we are afraid. Where are the police when we need them? They should be here with us because they know that anything can happen. I've lost all hope in them and accepted that we are on our own," she fumes. Johannesburg District Police Commissioner Max Masha has promised to deploy more police to Westbury. And now the community has just to wait and see, that's if they see another day.
