Note to Editors: Please find a soundbite in English from DA MPL, Michael Sun here.
Over the past month, multiple shooting incidents in Ormonde, Westbury, Riverlea, Johannesburg CBD, Boksburg, Bekkersdal, Meyerton and Houghton Estate have laid bare the complete breakdown of law and order in Gauteng. The residents are gripped by fear as a surge in violent crime reshapes daily life. From brazen drive-by shootings to a surge in kidnappings and violent attacks, communities are on edge.
While this happens, Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government appears to have no solutions, offering little beyond condemning the acts and hoping they will go away. The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for urgent and decisive action to restore law and order and protect the people of Gauteng.
In Westbury, the repeated shootings have left communities traumatised, with innocent bystanders, including children, caught in the crossfire. In Soweto, violent shootouts involving heavily armed suspects have resulted in fatalities, underscoring the scale of organised criminal activity and the spread of illegal firearms.
These are not isolated incidents; they form part of a sustained and escalating pattern of violence in the province. They stand in contrast to the false sense of security and stability presented by the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) during the G20 Summit.
Furthermore, these incidents raise questions about the South African Police Service’s reported decline in murders in Gauteng. The SAPS uses year-on-year comparisons, such as quarter three of 2025/26 versus quarter three of 2024/25, which show an 11.8% decrease in murders, suggesting improved safety.
However, this approach may hide a more concerning trend. When examining the same data for the 2025/26 financial year, murders in Gauteng show a steady quarter-on-quarter rise: 1,429 in quarter one, increasing to 1,443 in quarter two (a 2% rise), and climbing further to 1,536 in quarter three (a 6.4% increase). On that basis, the year-on-year comparisons are as misleading as the distorted image presented by Premier Lesufi during the G20 Summit.
Importantly, communities in affected areas are aware that the situation has deteriorated beyond acceptable levels. Sadly, their repeated concerns have been met with inaction and empty promises from an out-of-touch Lesufi’s government.
The DA is the only party that can end lawlessness and keep all Gauteng residents safe by holding senior SAPS leadership accountable for rising shootings and kidnappings, enhancing intelligence-driven operations to remove illegal firearms, closing security gaps, and tackling corruption to prevent criminals from accessing sensitive operations information.