Evidence that South Africa’s Firearms Control Act (2000) has saved thousands of lives and made South Africa safer was publicised at a seminar hosted in partnership with the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum and the Institute for Security Studies. The research presented by Dr Richard Matzopoulos and Professor Naeemah Abrahams shows that over 4,500 lives were saved from gun violence across five cities (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria) between 2001 and 2005 and that the number of women shot and killed halved between 1999 and 2009.STATEMENT: Research shows South Africa’s gun law has saved lives, made country safer