Cape Town has recorded over 30 murders in two months, many from mass shootings, renewing debate on whether South Africans should have easier access to firearms for protection.
A recent VOC News poll shows that public opinion remains divided, with many questioning whether gun ownership would improve safety or worsen the situation.
Gideon Joubert of the South African Gunowners Association said that the current restrictive firearm laws have failed to curb violence.
“I think that about 25 years of extremely restrictive firearm legislation has proven that it does not work,” he said.
“The very people we are worried about, violent criminals, have had absolutely no problem procuring firearms in whatever quantity they need. The Global Small Arms Survey estimated that by 2016, there were already about two and a half million illicit firearms in circulation in South Africa, almost equal to the number of legal ones. That number has only grown since.”
Critics, however, caution that making firearms more accessible could lead to even higher levels of gun-related deaths, highlighting the complexity of balancing self-defense rights with public safety.
Listen to the full interview below:
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