Against the backdrop of the lack of respect for teachers by pupils and the upsurge of crime, the other elephant in the room is the ready availability of replica handguns and firearms from various toy outlets and specialist shops.
I strongly support the call by the Grassy Park Community Police Forum to ban the replica imitation handguns used in crimes. It is difficult for the ordinary law-abiding citizen to distinguish between the real McCoy and the replica.
Forum chairperson Philip Bam correctly states that the pellets discharged from the replicas can cause serious injury to sensitive parts of the face, especially the eyes.
With the upsurge in crime and the SAPS being under-resourced, the reduction of replica firearms in circulation would be welcome.
I call on all law-abiding citizens to refrain from purchasing the replica firearms for themselves or their children in support of crime prevention.
* Councillor Mark RH Kleinschmidt, Ward 60.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.