TSWELOPELE MAKOE
Johannesburg - From time immemorial human society has been ravaged by gun violence. It is an ordeal that modern-day societies still contend with.
Discourses around gun violence and gun-related fatalities have been argued extensively. Yes, gun violence is intrinsically related to economic inequities, social injustices, institutional subjugation and overall psychological deterioration.
In 2016, Safer Spaces reported 41% of all murders globally were committed with a firearm. At the end of 2022, NGO Gun Free South Africa reported that 30 people a day die from gun violence. These glaring statistics speak to an issue beyond the structures of society, but an issue in the socialisation and psyche of society.
Gun violence was a raging topic in the South African media following the untimely murder of amapiano icon Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka. This week, streams of tributes rolled in following the gunning down of the King of Bacardi, Itumeleng “Vusi Ma R5” Mosoeu.
It is an absolute atrocity that those who rise to prominence and make an impactful difference in our communities face such a deplorable end before their time. We, the citizens of South Africa, lose the most when change-makers are targeted and grievously executed.
Gun violence is costing the country billions of rand and resources. Gun-Free SA reported a 54.8% increase in gun violence from 2016 to 2021. This is a dire issue that we face in light of our already volatile nation.
The issue of gun violence intersects with so many other societal challenges. We often fail to consider what happens when an underprivileged person is shot, cannot afford medical expenses, is denied life-saving interventions, or cannot be transported fast enough to stay alive.
We do not consider the psychological toll that these actions take on the families of victims. When one engages in gun violence, one fails to protect and deter younger generations from these toxic instances and futile futures. This is especially evident following the sudden death of eight Kwazakhele, Gqeberha, residents at a birthday party earlier this week. Such events should be joyous, not riddled with the pain and trauma of gun violence and death.
Gun violence is also deeply rooted in the politics of power. Not only is a gun a tool of control, but it is also a symbol of power that is as old as time. Guns are accessible by the general public in today’s global order, but they are also a key political tool that is assigned by international individuals and institutions that seek to destabilise nations such as those in Africa.
Furthermore, the discourse on the link between gun violence and poverty, health dilapidation and drug abuse is not engaged enough. Communities that are disproportionately impacted face the largest burden of these crimes, not only lacking protective measures against gun violence instances, but also lacking proper policing and gun control in areas where guns are prominently circulated.
The Firearms Control Amendment Bill, inducted in 2021, criminalised the possession of a firearm for self-defence and doubled the existing maximum penalties for firearms trafficking offences. Some agencies have reported a reduction in gun violence statistics since then, while others maintain that gun violence is still a crippling challenge for South Africa.
In my opinion, not enough is being done to minimise the circulation of guns and the violence that ensues as a result. Yes, laws are important, but their enforcement is pivotal. The Prevention Institute presented a public health approach to gun violence, one that focuses on addressing the factors that decrease or increase the risk of gun violence.
Engaging not only with older generations, but also younger generations on the impact of gun violence and the politics of its occurrence.
Prevention of gun violence need not be rooted only in discourse, but also in action. Communities need to band together to not only highlight perpetrators, but to create protective measures against this dangerous phenomenon.
Countless modern-day neighbourhoods have WhatsApp of social media groups where individuals can alert and discuss criminal activities in their areas. It is especially valuable for those who live outside gated communities or live alone in a stand-alone household.
We need to actively grapple with gun violence in this country as a pertinent issue. Gun violence is not subject to one person or the other. It is prevalent in all of our communities. Numerous domestic disputes primarily involve gun violence and life-threatening gun-related injuries.
In the US, gun violence especially impacts young children, as schoolchildren are frequently subjected to school shootings, gun violence and police-inflicted violence. To this day, young, innocent citizens face the bane of this atrocity. This year already began with an egregious crime: Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man beaten to death by five black police officers. This speaks not only to a deeply psychological violation, but also the blatant mistreatment of human life by miscreants who have become a law unto themselves.
Gun violence is a dreadful act that seeks to disintegrate the core values and ethics of our society. We need to establish a culture of gun safety, where the circulation and occurrence of guns are met with the maximum pressure and where the tolerance for gun-related instances is unconscionable.
We need to act proactively when it comes to gun violence. We need to carefully consider what we want the future to look like, for us and younger generations, and truly make an effort towards the actualisation of a future where citizens and families are not at the constant threat of gun violence and the trauma of gun-related deaths.
*Tswelopele Makoe is an MA (Ethics) student at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice at UWC. She is also a gender activist.