Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) has expressed concern over recent gun violence in the country, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. The organization says the presence of firearms makes incidents of violence more lethal and retaliation easier. According to GFSA, roughly 30 people are shot dead and 43 are shot and survive each day in South Africa. This has led to GFSA urging the police to establish where guns and ammunition used in crimes come from.
Recent shootings in KwaZulu-Natal have highlighted the issue of gun violence. On Tuesday, three men shot and killed 11 people at KwaMakhutha, south of Durban. In another incident in Durban, gunmen shot and killed two teenagers and wounded three others. On Friday, a man wanted for killing two Crime Intelligence officers was shot dead in Inanda. Police also seized 140 firearms and found 135 unaccounted for during a raid on a private security company in the Eastern Cape.
Dr. Stanley Maphosa, executive director of GFSA, says South Africa is facing a gun violence crisis. He notes that those who survive gunshot wounds may face disability, lose income, and face years of recovery. Maphosa emphasizes that police must examine each firearm's ownership and possession history and test whether it was used in earlier shootings. This, he believes, will help reduce the number of guns reaching attackers.
GFSA analyzed crime statistics and found that police reported 126,529 licensed firearms held by security companies in September 2024. However, 1,648 company guns were lost or stolen in the 2023/2024 financial year. Maphosa warns that guns can be issued without proper authority, and records can fail to reflect where they are. He also notes that a security business can be used by someone seeking access to firearms under a lawful-looking cover.
The Madlanga Commission and Parliament's ad hoc inquiry into allegations of corruption, criminal infiltration, and political interference made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi have raised concerns about alleged links between criminals, police, and security businesses. GFSA hopes that police will trace the whereabouts of 135 firearms that went missing from a security company in the Eastern Cape.
Maphosa emphasizes that SAPS detectives and crime intelligence must identify credible threats, retaliation, and people supplying guns before another attack occurs. He believes that the central firearms registry must provide accurate records that investigators can use promptly. GFSA's approach is to recover unlawfully held firearms and keep lawful stocks from being lost, stolen, misused, or diverted.
Police crime statistics released in March show that a total of 305,934 firearms were destroyed over the past seven years. However, SAPS crime statistics indicate that firearms remain the preferred weapon for criminals. Maphosa believes that South Africa can reduce gun deaths through stronger firearm control and that the work must be sustained, with results made public.
Key points
- Gun Free South Africa urges police to establish origin of guns used in crimes
- Recent shootings in KwaZulu-Natal highlight issue of gun violence
- GFSA analyzes crime statistics to understand gun violence trends
