Westbury
1Min
South Africa
Nov 10, 2025
Acting police minister, Firoz Cachalia has unveiled a newly developed strategy, which he says, has garnered government backing and funding, reinforcing the commitment to securing communities that have been ravaged by violence. The minister has urged all stakeholders to come together and restore peace and safety in the affected townships.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia announced a comprehensive strategy aimed at combating gang violence and drug-related crime in key townships across Gauteng, including Westbury and Reiger Park.
This initiative comes on the heels of escalating violence in these areas, sparked by recent mass shooting incidents that have shaken local communities.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police head offices on Monday, Cachalia, accompanied by two deputy ministers and prominent police leaders, including National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner General Tommy Mthombeni, outlined the urgent need for intervention in regions plagued by crime.
His remarks followed a stakeholder engagement session focused on assessing the current state of violence and the recruitment of young individuals into gangs.
“I had a presentation on the anti-gang violence strategy that we developed following my visit to the Western Cape with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. We now have a revised strategy, which has a lot of different elements. The government has allocated funding for the implementation of this strategy. Violence has intensified now in parts of Gauteng. We have to make sure that that strategy is implemented,” he said.
Cachalia lamented the increase in young people being involved in gang-related violence, saying the police must find innovative ways to curb the scourge in communities affected by such crimes.
His engagement with the police cluster and members of the community comes after two separate mass shooting incidents in Westbury this past month, and in Reiger Park, last Sunday.
In Westbury, the shooting resulted in two fatalities, while a drive-by shooting in Reiger Park resulted in the death of five people, including two women victims.
In both incidents, gang violence is reported to be at the centre of these shootings.
“I was told today that the young boys are being recruited between the ages of 13 and 19. They’re supposed to be in school. They’re supposed to be looking forward to a bright future. But unfortunately, these communities are in a position where they feel marginalised,” he added.
Cachalia denied reports by some of the community leaders, who accused him and the police of excluding them from the stakeholder engagement meeting, saying the affected communties were well-represented in the meeting.
"The communities were well-represented here today. We took their names and I indicated to them that we need to maintain constant contact. I hope that the community will build a community forum here. I know that in the past this community had great leaders who have established organisations and faith-based organisations. We are going to need those organisations to come on board," he lamented.
