By Ragheema Mclean
Gun Free South Africa has called on the government to intensify efforts to curb the circulation of illegal firearms as the country marks Gun Destruction Day, following two deadly mass shootings in Cape Town that claimed seven lives.
Western Cape police are investigating two separate shootings in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, and Philippi East on Wednesday night that left seven people dead and five others injured.
Police spokesperson Captain André Traut said five men were shot outside a tuck shop in Tafelsig, where three victims, aged 18, 19, and 51, were declared dead at the scene.
In a separate incident in Philippi East, seven people were shot, with four victims, aged between 17 and 20, succumbing to their injuries.
Reacting to the incidents, Gun Free South Africa spokesperson Claire Taylor said the shootings underscore the urgent need to tackle the flow of illegal firearms into communities.
She said the government must strengthen intelligence-led policing to identify the sources of illegal firearms and dismantle the networks supplying weapons to criminals.
“South Africa’s relicensing system has collapsed. Gun relicensing applications have dropped by 75% since a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling stated that if your gun licence has expired, you still own your firearm. The court never said a valid licence is no longer required, and the government has done nothing to correct the record,” Taylor said.
She added that stronger enforcement and improved firearm control measures are essential to reducing gun violence and preventing further loss of life.
Photo: VOCfm (stock)
