Briefing 1 of 2018: Police killings – Protecting members and their families
In mid March Constable Buti shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself following an argument; the couple’s 6-year old child witnessed the shootings. A week earlier Sergeant Brooks shot and killed his girlfriend, her mother and himself during a hostage incident. While parliament and police unions have reacted with shock, the tragic reality is that police […]
Know the law, use the law, save a woman’s or child’s life this 16 Days of Activism
Three women and one child will be shot and killed today. By the end of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, 48 women and 16 children will have been shot dead; while a further 192 women and 64 children will have been shot and injured, possibly permanently disabled. These deaths are preventable: The removal […]
Response to loss of 2000 guns by police in 4 years
The Minister of Police has admitted that 2027 guns were stolen from police armouries in the last four years. These guns are now part of the illegal pool of guns, and outside of any control. There are two ways to get rid of illegal guns: Mop up illegal guns and close the tap leaking guns into the illegal pool.
Response to 2016-17 crime stats: Guns fueling violent crime – 18 to 21 murders committed with guns every day
Poor enforcement of gun control laws is leaking guns from the legal to the illegal pool and driving South Africa’s year-on-year increase in violent crime. STATEMENT: Guns fuel crime: 18 to 21 murders committed with guns every day Gun Free South Africa’s response to 2016-17 crime stats
World Mental Health Day: Five things you need to know about guns and suicide
Guns are the most lethal suicide method. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that 17% of all suicides are committed using a firearm, these types of suicide attempts are almost always fatal and also the most preventable. STATEMENT: World Mental Health Day – Five things you need to know about guns and suicide
Briefing 8 of 2017: The life-cycle of a gun – Tracking how guns leak between cradle and grave
The purpose of the Firearms Control Act (FCA) is to “establish a comprehensive and an effective system of firearms control.” In other words, the FCA aims to create an integrated system which regulates all guns in South Africa, from cradle to grave; including their manufacture, trade, possession, use and destruction. By controlling all these aspects, South Africa’s FCA-informed firearms control […]
Briefing 7 of 2017: SA needs a #TopCop with Right Skills Set
As South Africa marks the fifth anniversary of the Marikana Massacre, this Briefing unpacks a key lesson emerging from the tragedy: If the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) had had the necessary skills, knowledge and experience, Marikana would never have happened.
But Marikana is not an isolated incident; poor police leadership over the years has led to […]
Welcome ruling upholding gun licence renewals, urges state enforcement and public compliance with gun law to stop gun violence
Gun Free SA welcomes today’s North Gauteng High Court’s ruling which recognises that regular gun licence renewals are an integral part of an effective gun control system while stipulating that South Africa’s gun law needs to be properly enforced. STATEMENT: Welcome ruling upholding gun licence renewals, urges state enforcement and public compliance with gun law to stop […]
Briefing 6 of 2017: Reducing illicit arms flows – Contributing to sustainable development
In September 2015, the United Nations member states, including South Africa, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, replacing the Millennium Development Goals, with a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets.
A significant shift in the development of these new goals was the recognition that a broader range of factors such as violence and insecurity contribute to […]
Briefing 5 of 2017: Protecting children from armed violence
In February 2010, three-year-old Leshay Arnold was killed by a stray bullet in Delft on the Cape Flats. The reason Leshay’s murder made headlines is that it was the first death to be linked to a nationwide gun smuggling syndicate in which a police officer, allegedly working with a gun dealer and a businessman, sold guns handed in to the […]
