Alarm as lost or stolen firearms end up in hands of criminals

Lost or stolen firearms, illegal firearms and ammunition remain one of the biggest contributors to the high and serious crimes committed in South Africa.

- Marizka Coetzer

Institute for Security Studies consultant and independent researcher David Bruce said the quickest way for the South African Police Service (Saps) to improve public safety was to focus on firearm crime and violence.

Bruce said guns played a major role in pushing up levels of murder, including femicide, and other forms of violent organised crime and were responsible for between 12 000 and 16 000 deaths per year.

“Firearms make a major contribution to crime-related death, injury and fear in South Africa,” he said.

“In areas with high firearm crime levels, there are seven main gun-related crime categories: murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, hijacking, residential robbery, non-residential robbery and illegal possession of guns and ammunition.”