Johannesburg - Police insist they have the ongoing gang violence in Westbury under control and have urged the community to return to normal.
This was after scores of residents took to the streets in protest last week against police corruption.
The residents were adamant that authorities were not doing enough to curb the violence which escalated into a series of shootings in the embattled area recently.
On Thursday, the area came to a standstill when residents barricaded the roads as they demanded an end to the violence that has paralysed the area with fear.
Joburg Central Cluster Commander Major General Ronnie Rajin told The Star that a large contingent of police officers had been deployed to the area to put an end to the violence. This included the canine unit and flying squad.
"In the long term, we will bring the opposing parties together with a mediator to negotiate an end to the battles," said Rajin.
The strategies followed a meeting top police management had with Westbury officials, the Community Policing Forum, those from the office of provincial Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and other government departments.
This proactive approach has seen authorities making progress in the gang-related cases which have resulted in at least five shootings gripping the troubled area in the past 10 days.
Sophiatown station commander Brigadier Susan Crafford, who oversees Westbury and surrounding areas, said two men were arrested on Thursday for attempted murder.
"Three bullets and a firearm were also recovered," she said.
The pair were expected to appear in the Newlands Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Crafford said there had been five separate shootings in Westbury since Monday last week.
The battle spilt over into Tuesday night when several cartridges were recovered, although no official complaint had been laid yet.
Crafford said all those caught in the gunfire were believed to be from gangs and that they were not seriously injured.
"They were all shot in the lower body and are not seriously harmed," she said.
Although several cases of attempted murder had been opened, arrests had proved difficult as counter charges had since been filed.
"In these shootings, the suspects are also the victims and many have filed counter charges.
"The dockets have been taken to the prosecutor for a decision to be made," Crafford said.
A source has told The Star that gun battles have increased in Westbury recently as gangsters from Cape Town have tried to enter the drug market in the area.
Crafford was unable to confirm this but said that those arrested in April for similar shootings in neighbouring Newclare were from the Western Cape.
Although those not affiliated to the alleged gangs had been caught in the crossfire, Crafford said the community needed to come forward to report such activities before innocent bystanders were shot.
This was the case about two years ago when 3-year-old Luke Tibbetts was killed when he was hit by a stray bullet while sitting on his mother's lap in a car in Westbury.
Lindray Khakhu was found guilty of two murders, including that of the toddler's, five of attempted murder, 10 of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and one of pointing a firearm.
He had since been sentenced to life behind bars.
Crafford urged community members to come forward with information relating to the gangs and other criminal activities and insisted that they would be protected.
"The police have the witness protection programme and other resources to protect people who come forward," she said.
Although the police needed witnesses to stand up in court and testify, she added that others could also report incidents anonymously.
Meanwhile, Crafford said a case had been opened against the organiser of last week's community protest as the group violated the Gathering Act by not getting the required permission.
"The protest was not legal because it was not authorised," said Crafford.
She said the docket was sent to the prosecutor for a decision to be made but that no community members had been arrested yet.
The Star