Masemola: Westbury community hinders justice with 'revenge attacks'

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stated on Wednesday that a major concern in Westbury, Johannesburg, is the community's tendency to resort to revenge attacks instead of relying on court convictions to achieve justice.

Masemola was speaking at the Sophiatown Police Station following a wave of ongoing drug and gang violence in the area.

His address came a day after four individuals allegedly shot seven teenagers, resulting in the deaths of two teens on the scene and injuries to five others.

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One of the injured teenagers was discharged on Wednesday morning, while the remaining four are still receiving treatment at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Auckland Park.

While residents of Westbury have frequently raised concerns about poor policing, Commissioner Masemola said that investigations are being hindered because community members are often reluctant to come forward as witnesses.

"One of the challenges is, as I said yesterday [Tuesday] in this specific community, is that people don't come forward as witnesses," Masemola said, adding that this reluctance makes it difficult for the police to secure arrests and convictions.

He stressed the critical distinction between witnesses and informers.

"If you were there when a crime was committed, you are not a whistleblower or an informer; you are a witness. So, you must be prepared to go to court and give evidence."

Masemola concluded that this has sadly not been the case. He added that repeated appeals for community cooperation are essential for achieving better results, including arrests and convictions, in the fight against crime in areas affected by gangs and drugs.