CITY of Joburg council speaker Colleen Makhubele joined residents of Westbury and Riverlea areas during a prayer walk opposite Rahima Moosa Hospital on Monday, 25 September.
The walk followed the shooting of a policeman in Westbury on Sunday, 24 September as well as the seven residents who were killed a week ago.
Resident David Vidrine said walking around and praying is a prophetic declaration.
“As a community, we are tired of the senseless killings in our community and our city. The whole of South Africa is facing this kind of violence. We want to see a difference and raise a different generation that will not kill each other. Our children must have a sense of belonging, and their identity must be restored,” he said.
David said the area has experienced a lot of senseless killings. He said seven people were killed in a space of two weeks, including a police officer.
“As a community, we will not back down but continue with this prayer. We are taking back our community by force and declare that no more deaths will come to this city. Death will no longer dominate in our city,” he said.
Makhubele said: “We have lost about seven residents in the past week and on Sunday a police officer was shot dead. We are condemning this act of violence and gangsterism."
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She called on all spheres of government to help young people in Eldorado, Riverlea and Westbury, and to help break the cycle of substance abuse and gangsterism.
Residents stressed out that they have police intervention for only a season and then they disappear.
According to police spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili has ordered the mobilisation of maximum resources to apprehend suspects behind the killing of Warrant Officer Dalmain Morris.
“He was attached to the SAPS Gauteng anti-gang unit. He was shot and killed while taking down a statement of a witness in a murder case on Sunday evening at about 6.30pm in Westbury. The witness who was being interviewed and a bystander also sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to a nearby hospital for medical care. Police are searching for occupants who were driving a white Renault Clio,” said Mathe.
