Gun Free South Africa said widespread theft and corruption are key factors behind firearms ending up in the wrong hands, fuelling the country’s deadly gun violence crisis.
This follows the release of alarming crime statistics last week, which revealed that gun violence remains the leading cause of killings in South Africa between January and March this year.
Speaking to VOC’s PM Drive, Gun Free SA’s director Stanley Maphosa said, “The statistics indicated a decrease in deaths by gun violence nationally, but ironically, in the Western Cape, it has increased. So, while the national picture shows slight improvement, the provincial situation remains dire.”
Maphosa highlighted that over the past decade, the country has experienced a troubling increase in gun-related deaths. “For the past 10 years, it has been the worst, with 33 people dying from gunfire each day,” he said.
Gun Free SA is now calling for the full enforcement of the Firearms Control Act, which Maphosa says provides a legal framework to reduce, track, and control firearms in South Africa. “The law is available; it must be implemented. It is the law of the land,” he stressed.
Gun Free SA continues to advocate for stricter regulation and greater accountability in the firearms sector to save lives.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
