The Gauteng Provincial Legislature has strongly condemned a brazen shooting outside the Booysens Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg that left two people dead and three others injured, calling it a “direct attack on the rule of law and public safety.”

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has raised serious concerns about security at courts, which are designated national key points and legally gun-free zones.

The Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety said it was “deeply disturbed that armed suspects were able to approach and unleash gunfire at the entrance of a magistrate’s court.”

“This reckless act of violence represents a direct attack on the rule of law and public safety, demonstrating a growing boldness among criminals who show no regard for human life or the authority of state institutions,” the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety Bandile Masuku said.

The Committee questioned how gunmen were able to gain access to the court precinct and pointed to failures by the private security company contracted to protect the facility.

“Such a grave lapse raises urgent questions about security protocols and the performance of the contracted private security company responsible for safeguarding the premises,” said Masuku.

“These failures are not minor oversights; they are costly and in this case, they have cost lives. The Committee insists that the security company be held fully accountable for its role in this breach.”

The Committee also linked the shooting to the wider problem of illegal firearms in Gauteng.

“The ease with which firearms are accessed and used to commit violent crimes strengthens our call for decisive, coordinated action toward achieving a gun-free Gauteng, supported by stronger intelligence-led policing and tighter firearm controls,” it said.

According to the statement, there are allegations that the suspects fled the scene in a white Audi with cloned number plates, a sign, the Committee said, of organised criminal networks.

“Such tactics point to organised and well-resourced criminal networks that must be dismantled through rigorous, intelligence-driven law enforcement,” Masuku added.

The Legislature urged police to act swiftly and thoroughly.

“The Portfolio Committee calls on the South African Police Service and all relevant law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice,” it said.

“Those who terrorise communities and undermine the justice system must learn that the law will prevail.”

Members of the public with information have been urged to come forward, with the Committee stressing that “community cooperation remains essential in the fight against violent crime.”

The Committee extended condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a full and speedy recovery to those injured in this senseless attack,” Masuku said.

It added that Gauteng residents “deserve to feel safe especially in and around institutions of justice,” and vowed to intensify oversight to ensure “improved safety, accountability and adherence to security standards across the Province.”

IOL News

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