Durban – Anti-firearm advocacy group Gun Free SA believes the country has a gun violence epidemic. Commenting on a wave of shootings across the country that has claimed the lives of nearly 30 people in recent weeks, GFSA said more people were shot than stabbed in the country.
“Gunshot injuries overtook road traffic injuries as the leading cause of non-natural death in Gauteng in the 2018-19 financial year,” the group said.
More than 20 people were murdered in shootings at taverns in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. While police have since made arrests, the motive for the shootings has yet to be announced.
GFSA said most gun violence in the country involved illegal firearms.
It said to reduce gun deaths, the circulation of guns must be reduced.
“The biggest source of illegal guns in SA are legal guns owned by civilians, which includes the private security industry. Legal guns, the main supply of illegal guns, are flooding into SA. Gun dealers have reported an increase in the demand for guns and ammunition, particularly after the July 2021 unrest,” the group said.
“By their nature, these guns are outside any controls. Almost all illegal guns were legal before they were leaked into the illegal pool and this happens via loss and theft, fraud, corruption and poor law enforcement, cross-border trafficking and conflict guns.”
“There are there are historic stockpiles, guns coming over border and far too many going missing from police and military, not to mention in hands of dubious security companies,” added KwaZulu-Natal Violence Monitor, Mary de Haas.
She added that while she did not know the current position, historically many security companies operated illegally, especially those linked to the taxi industry.
De Haas said sometimes a company registered and got guns and then shut down and guns were not accounted for.
She said policing was also in a state of crisis with many officers being lost, some to illegal dismissals.
“There are not enough well trained detectives and firearms people. In one case, I know of a big security company implicated in taxi violence that was shut down by police but I was recently told he is operating another company. I doubt PSIRA (the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority) can cope with enormity of the problem,” she said.
De Haas said there were also police and politicians linked to the taxi and security industry.
“What we need is an immediate audit of guns that have gone missing from police and whether all guns licensed to security companies are accounted for. We also need a thorough audit of gun shops and sale of ammunition. The president needs to make public safety a priority,” she said.
Meanwhile, four people have been arrested in connection with the KZN tavern shooting in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg. Bonginkosi Zaca, 27, Thembinkosi Malevu, 23, Melizwe Mjwara, 22, and Sabelo Mabaso, 36, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara, they face four counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition.
“The matter was remanded to July 28 for bail application and further investigation,” she said.
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