Police Minister Bheki Cele is expected to visit Westbury on Tuesday morning after protests erupted in the Johannesburg suburb on Monday.

Tensions reached boiling point earlier on Monday between community members and police, resulting in clashes between the two groups. Eight people were arrested for public violence.

Gauteng police commissioner Deliwe de Lange told News24 outside Sophiatown police station that the arrests were made after members threw petrol bombs at a police vehicle, leaving one police officer injured.

News24 previously reported that protests flared up after a woman and a child were shot last week when they were caught in the crossfire of a battle between drug dealers "fighting for a corner". The woman died.

The community of Westbury then took to the streets, shutting down the suburb with the hope that Cele would hear their pleas.

"The issue in this community is drugs and gangsterism. Until we see stability in our community, we are not going to be happy. We will give the process some time so that it can take place," community policing forum Tilly Micheals told the media after a meeting with De Lange and ANC secretary general Ace Magashule.

"It hurts the spirit when you a mother in broad daylight lying [dead] next to a child, that is the hurt and anger you saw on the streets today. We are not being listened to. Why do we have to fight in order to get a national response?" Michaels added.

Protests appeared to simmer down by late Monday afternoon. Micheals could not confirm whether they would continue on Tuesday.

According to a statement, Cele will visit community at the Westbury Recreation Centre at 11:30.

News24