ATM President Vuyo Zungula. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)
Gun control in South Africa is out of control, according to many gun and crime experts.
This comes as incidents of violence are a growing concern in South Africa.
Last year, Independent Media reported that South Africa was facing a spike in gun violence as 72 people were killed in the country every day.
Speaking to The Star, African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyo Zungula said the party was concerned about violent crime in the country.
“We support tighter gun laws in a bid to eradicate the prevalence of illegal firearms in our society.
“The government must strengthen border control so as to regulate and restrict what comes in our country and increase the number of search and confiscation programmes of illegal firearms to rid society of their prevalence.
“Though this programme is necessary, it must not deprive law-abiding citizens from legally acquiring firearms, so as to be able to protect themselves from criminals, rapists and murderers who have rendered this country ungovernable in the face of the dismal failure of the government to deal with crime is this country,” Zungula said.
Concern about gun control in South Africa has increasingly been in the spotlight.
Recent killings include those of two teachers – a life orientation educator from Riverside High School in Vanderbijlpark and the head of commerce at the Unity Secondary School in Daveyton, which both occurred on Friday.
In the first case, police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that police arrested four people with the medical doctor reported to be the ex-husband of the deceased.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder.
In the second incident in Daveyton, no arrests have been made yet.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane also expressed concern about the senseless killing of educators in the province.
The department revealed that the Riverside High School educator was driving to work on Friday morning when she was fatally shot by an unknown assailant at a traffic light near the North West University’s Vaal Campus.
“On Friday evening, the departmental head of commerce from Unity Secondary School was fatally shot inside his car in Daveyton. Our psycho-social support unit will be deployed to both schools to provide necessary counselling and trauma support to learners and teachers.
'“We wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the respective families and school communities, while pleading with law enforcement agencies to bring the culprits of these senseless killings to book,” said Chiloane.
Crime activist Yusuf Abramjee told The Star that illegal firearms had become a problem in the country.
“Illegal firearms are a major problem and contributing to the high levels of violent crime. There are tens of thousands in circulation. Some criminals also steal and rob licensed guns and thousands go missing from the police and SANDF and end up in the wrong hands.
“Criminals are trigger-happy. They don’t hesitate to rob, shoot and kill. The laws need to be strengthened. The law must come down very hard on those in possession of illegal weapons. We need effective gun control,” he said.
The Star