2 Westbury Shootings in 24 Hours Raise Doubts About SANDF Deployment
- Two men were shot and killed on separate Westbury streets within 24 hours, despite the presence of armed SANDF troops in the area
- The victims included a 53-year-old scholar transport driver and a 37-year-old man found dead in a narrow alley
- Gauteng police confirmed investigations into both incidents are ongoing, with no arrests made and motives still unknown
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GAUTENG— Armed soldiers standing guard near blood-stained alleys did little to deter killers in Westbury, where back-to-back assassinations unfolded in under 24 hours.
The latest casualty occurred on 8 September 2026 along Philip Bandes Street. A 37-year-old victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds in a tight passage marked with Varados gang graffiti. South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel secured the perimeter while police investigators cordoned off the scene, though officers aggressively blocked journalists from taking photos behind the tape.
This attack followed the murder of 53-year-old school minibus driver Abdulrazaak Mohamed Moolla nearby on 7 September. Two unidentified men ambushed Moolla after he dropped off children, firing several rounds before escaping in a blue vehicle. Moolla was buried at West Park Cemetery shortly before the next murder took place.
Escalating territorial war between Varados and Fast Guns
Frustrated onlookers openly challenged the military presence, demanding weapons to protect themselves as territorial warfare between the Varados and Fast Guns syndicates paralyzes the one-square-kilometre township. Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko stated that no suspects have been detained for either homicide.
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Crime researcher David Bruce highlighted that Gauteng registered 58 gang homicides in the 2025/26 cycle. Though smaller than the Western Cape's 1,357 fatalities, Gauteng's divided policing priorities leave local turf wars unchecked. Westbury Youth Centre activist Bridget Munnik urged parents to confront children involved in narcotics, warning that the community can no longer ignore the underlying drug trade.
Mother speaks after son killed in gang shooting
In a related article, Briefly News reported on a Westbury mother’s call for stronger police action after her son, Caston, was killed in a gang-related shooting. The attack claimed four lives and prompted Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police to launch an inquiry into gang violence.
Source: Briefly News
