Shots in Westbury after Cele’s visit

The sound of gunshots rattled residents in Westbury, Johannesburg, on Wednesday‚ a day after police minister Bheki Cele visited the suburb in response to violent anti-crime protests.

Police confirmed that a case of attempted murder had been opened after shots were fired in the area.

Police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said: “Police found empty cartridges.

“No-one was on the scene‚ but a case of attempted murder was opened.”

Community members converged at a sports ground on Tuesday to vent their frustrations about crime‚ gangs and concerns about police not doing enough about it.

Cele told them: “We commit ourselves to coming back to work on the matters the community has raised.”

A Times Select article on Wednesday described how primary schoolchildren greeted each other by asking: “Which gang do you belong to?

“Are you part of the Fast Guns or Varados?”

Delores Mackay lost her son – the father of three young daughters – to gang violence last year. He was shot just metres from her home – opposite the Sophiatown police station.

Drug turf wars have forced Westbury residents onto the streets to vent their fury at the high level of crime.

Residents had vowed to shut down the area after a mother was killed in a shooting incident last week.

They called for the government to deploy the army to clean up the area.