Germany, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa
Gun Laws in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, UK, Australia, South Africa
Associated Press
26 June 2008
GERMANY: Requires license to obtain and use firearms and stipulates a check on the "reliability and suitability" of holders at least once every three years. Under-25s must undergo psychological screening. Buyers must justify why they need a gun. Would-be buyers of recreational firearms must produce proof of regular membership in shooting club for at least one year. Legal age for owning recreational firearms is 21. That... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United States, France, Canada, Germany, Angola, Thailand, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, United Kingdom, India, China
Guns Around the World: Civilian Firearms per 100 People in 16 Nations
Economist
30 April 2008
An estimated 875m small arms are in circulation worldwide: one for every seven people on the planet. Nearly three-quarters of these are owned by civilians. And about 80% of those guns in civilian hands are found in just 30 countries, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research group. Although America accounts for 40% of firearms in civilian ownership, people put them to more deadly use elsewhere. The gun murder rate in Colombia... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, China
Praise 3 African Nations for Barring 'Ship of Shame' Gun Cargo to Zimbabwe
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
24 April 2008
It's a rare moment when three African nations, in an effort to forestall violence, block a shipment of weapons to a neighboring country in political turmoil. It's perhaps even a historic development when those weapons were sold by a great power and were bound for a government that is not under United Nations sanctions and has every legal right to buy arms -- though no moral right to do so. So let us praise the courageous peoples of South... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, United States, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
China Says Ship Carrying Ammunition, Guns to Zimbabwe May Head Home
Associated Press
22 April 2008
HARARE, Zimbabwe -- A shipment of weapons to Zimbabwe may be returned to China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, after the troubled southern African nation's neighbors prevented the cargo from being unloaded. The Chinese freighter arrived in South Africa last week, and human rights groups and others said they feared the mortar grenades and bullets onboard could be used by President Robert Mugabe's regime to clamp down... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Zambia
Chinese Ammunition 'Ship of Shame' Adrift in Southern African Controversy
IRIN (UN News)
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG -- There were conflicting reports about the whereabouts of a Chinese ship, laden with a cargo of small arms destined for Zimbabwe, after it was turned away from South Africa's port city of Durban. According to some reports, the 150-metre multipurpose cargo vessel, the An Yue Jiang - registered in China and one of 600 vessels owned by the China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), dubbed by South African media as the "Ship... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, China
Global Gun Control Campaign Protests Chinese Arms Shipment to Zimbabwe
New Era (Windhoek)
22 April 2008
WINDHOEK -- The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) yesterday called on all Namibians to raise their voices in protest against the docking of the Chinese ship, An Jue Jiang, at a Namibian harbour. The ship is carrying arms bound for Zimbabwe, including three million rounds of ammunition and desperately trying to find a way to deliver the cargo to that country. After the International Action Network on Small Arms, IANSA, a global... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, United States, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
Gun Cargo Rejection 'Dramatic Turn' for Africa's Embrace of Zimbabwe
Washington Post
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG -- A Chinese ship carrying weapons and ammunition for Zimbabwe's military may be headed back home, reports said, after repeated attempts to deliver its cargo were frustrated by a coalition of legal activists, union workers and human rights groups. The region's resistance to the shipment, which drew praise from the United States on Tuesday, marks a dramatic turn from southern Africa's traditional embrace of Zimbabwe's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, China
Southern African Ports Shun Ship Carrying Guns to Zimbabwe; US Agrees
Los Angeles Times / Chicago Tribune
22 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Public outcries have forced a rusty Chinese cargo ship to avoid South Africa, Mozambique and Angola, leaving it at sea Tuesday with 77 tons of munitions bound for Zimbabwe, where an election crisis has reportedly turned violent. The An Yue Jiang was carrying about 3 million rounds of Chinese ammunition, 1,500 rockets and 3,000 mortar shells. The State Department's top Africa envoy, who is to arrive... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, China
Under African Pressure, China Recalls Cargo of Zimbabwe Guns, Ammo?
SW Radio Africa (London)
22 April 2008
A controversial arms shipment from China, meant for crisis torn Zimbabwe, might have been recalled back to China following pressure from African countries that refused to allow it to dock at their ports. On Tuesday the China Ocean Shipping Company, owners of the An Yue Jiang ship, announced their vessel was coming back home. Despite Chinese claims that the delivery was 'normal military product trade,' Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, South Africa, China
US Seeks to Block Zimbabwe-bound Chinese Ammunition, Gun Shipment
Associated Press
22 April 2008
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is intervening with governments in southern Africa to prevent a Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe's security forces from unloading its cargo, The Associated Press has learned. At the same time, the State Department's top Africa hand, Jendayi Frazer, plans to visit the region this week to underscore U.S. concerns about the shipment. Frazer also will try to persuade Zimbabwe's neighbors... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, China, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia
Zimbabwe Bristles at Southern Africa's Rejection of Guns, Ammo Cargo
News24 (Cape Town)
22 April 2008
HARARE -- Zimbabwe bristled at criticism for buying arms from China on Tuesday, as pressure mounted on its neighbours to keep a load of weapons from reaching their destination. China said a Chinese ship carrying the shipment might return home without offloading its cargo. The ship arrived in South Africa last week carrying Chinese weapons for landlocked Zimbabwe. South African human rights, union and others groups objected,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, China
Campaign Against Zimbabwe Ammunition, Gun Shipment Gains Momentum
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) / SAPA
21 April 2008
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- A campaign to prevent arms currently aboard a Chinese ship from reaching Zimbabwe gained momentum on Monday with trade unions calling on their counterparts not to allow the vessel to dock at any African port. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) called for an international boycott of the vessel. "Cosatu is doing everything possible to alert the international trade-union movement... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, China
South African Court, Unions, NGOs Block Guns, Ammo Cargo to Zimbabwe
Scotland on Sunday
20 April 2008
Dockyard workers in Africa are refusing to unload a Chinese ship laden with weapons for Zimbabwe. The whereabouts of the vessel, the An Yue Jiang, were not known last night, although it was believed to be heading to Angola. Sources say the ship is carrying three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition along with 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades and several thousand mortar rounds. Dock workers in the region are expected to refuse... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
Global Gun Control Group Seeks Court Order to Block Ammo to Zimbabwe
SW Radio Africa (London)
18 April 2008
The South African government has said that it is determined to allow the export of a consignment of Chinese weapons and ammunition to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. AB Logistics is the state owned transport section of the South African Defence Forces, and they have been approached to handle this large shipment of weapons and ammunition to Zimbabwe. A number of private companies backed out of the contract. Not necessarily because of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
Shipload of Guns, Ammunition Heads to Zimbabwe Through South Africa
Daily Mail (UK)
18 April 2008
Fears of bloody crackdown in Zimbabwe grew last night as a shipload of weapons bound for the country docked in South Africa ready to be transported across the border. South Africa said if the papers were in order it had no plans to interfere with the shipment from China of 77 tonnes of weapons -- including mortars, ammunition and rocket-held grenades -- despite the growing international outcry over Zimbabwe's failure to declare... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa
South Africa Lets Pass 3 Million Rounds of AK-47 Ammunition for Zimbabwe
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
18 April 2008
DURBAN -- The South African government is determined to allow the export of a large consignment of Chinese weapons and ammunition to the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF). The Mail & Guardian has confirmed that AB Logistics, state-owned Armscor's transport arm, has been approached to handle the transport of the weapons to Zimbabwe, after several private logistics firms backed out of the transport contract because of the sensitive cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa's Gun Owner Licensing Renewal Process 'In Shambles'
Business Day (Johannesburg)
10 April 2008
CAPE TOWN -- The government is facing huge noncompliance and backlogs as legal gun owners fail to apply for their licences to be renewed and the Central Firearms Registry struggles to cope with the numbers that are lodged. While the Firearms Control Act was being processed by Parliament and again when an amendment went through both houses, the police were advised that re-licensing all legal firearms in four years was impractical.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
More South Africans Renew Gun Licences Under Firearm Control Act
South African Broadcasting Corporation News
31 March 2008
Today is the deadline for people to renew their firearm licenses in line with the Firearm Control Act. People who had gun licences under the previous legislation and who were born in the months of July, August and September must apply for their renewals by the end of today. The SA Gun Owners Association says, however, that the legislation is not working. Spokesperson Martin Hood says: "Most people are prepared to do what the law... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Thailand, Russia, United States, Africa, World
'Merchant of Death' Gun Runner's' Secret Connections in Southern Africa
Cape Argus (Capetown)
9 March 2008
An arrest at a luxury Thailand hotel has sent shockwaves rippling through various governmental, aviation and murky arms-trade, diamond-dealing and money-laundering circles from Johannesburg and Polokwane through to Kabul, Kinshasa, Ostend and Washington. Former Johannesburg resident Viktor Bout, the man dubbed the Merchant of Death and said to have inspired the blockbuster movie The Lord of War, was arrested on Thursday in a sting... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
13-year-old Girl Killed by Stray Bullet During Shootout in Johannesburg
Times (UK) / SAPA
12 February 2008
A teenage schoolgirl has been killed by a stray bullet fired during a shoot-out between robbers and security guards at a house in Fairlands, Johannesburg, this morning, police said. The three robbers had since been arrested, said Captain Siphiwe Ndlovu. He said the child's mother arrived at the house to pick up a schoolmate at 6.30am. "When she blew the hooter, instead of the child coming out, a suspect came out.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Police Seize Box of Zimbabwean Police Pistols at Johannesburg Airport
Cape Argus (Capetown)
7 December 2007
CAPE TOWN -- Police at OR Tambo International Airport have seized a consignment of handguns which might have belonged to the Zimbabwean police force. The weapons -- 50 CZ 75 9mm parabellum handguns -- were found on Thursday in the cargo hold of a passenger plane, packed in a simple wooden padlocked box which had "Zimbabwe contingent" scrawled across it. The plane had stopped over in Zimbabwe. Most of the weapons, which... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Arms Cache Seized from Aircraft Recently Landed at Johannesburg Airport
SABC News (South Africa)
6 December 2007
Police seized a large consignment of firearms at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg this afternoon. The arms cache was discovered from an international airliner that flew through Zimbabwe into South Africa. Police say it is the biggest seizure of its kind at this airport. Police spokesperson, Dennis Adriao, says a team have been set up, including detectives and crime intelligence officers, to investigate where... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Threaten Prosecution If Firearm Licences Not Renewed
Independent (South Africa) / SAPA
10 November 2007
The SA Police Service has called on gun owners to renew their firearm licences. National spokesperson Director Phuti Setati said on Friday that firearm licence holders, who were born between July 1 and September 30, must renew their firearm licences, permits or authorisations before the cut off date of March 31 next year. "Those who apply for renewal after the expiry of their renewal period may be prosecuted for failing... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Most South African Crime Guns Came from Legal Owners, Says Minister
Business Day (Johannesburg)
11 October 2007
JOHANNESBURG -- A major threat facing the country was the number of illegal firearms which were once legally owned but were now being used to commit crime, Deputy Safety and Security Minister Susan Shabangu said yesterday. Shabangu, addressing a South African Chamber of Business function in Johannesburg last night, questioned the public's need for firearms to defend themselves. The process of obtaining gun licences has... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia, South Africa
Namibia Adopts 'Gun Free Zones' Campaign After South African Success
Namibian (Windhoek)
24 September 2007
WINDHOEK -- A campaign to have gun-free zones in large parts of Namibia will kick off today with 28 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Council of Churches of Namibia declaring their premises free of firearms. Briefing media about the campaign on Friday, which was International Peace Day, Pauline Dempers of the Namibia NGO Forum (Nangof) said the 28 institutions would erect signboards at their entrances from today. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Brazil
Brazilian Ammunition Manufacturer Pioneers Laser Marking on Each Round
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane), Web Page
21 September 2007
If the recent reports of a South African Metro Police officer's dealing in ammunition from his vehicle are anything to go by the answer must be a resounding 'yes'. The case of the Metro Police officer has made it clear that current control mechanisms over ammunition in State armouries are ineffective. The measures did not prevent the corrupt official from selling ammunition to criminals. The seriousness of this is made worse given... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Lost 3,800 Guns Last Year, Destroyed 160,000 - Report
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) / SAPA
18 September 2007
CAPE TOWN -- The police lost over 1,500 more firearms during the past financial year than they did during the previous year, says the Auditor General. In an audit contained in the South African Police Service 2006/07 annual report, he found 3,856 firearms were reported "lost, stolen or robbed from personnel throughout the country" during the 12 months up to March 31 this year. In 2005/6, a total of 2,297 firearms were reported... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Leader of South African Gun Control Group Still Owns a Handgun
Sunday Times (Johannesburg)
30 August 2007
Four months after launching the Azanian People's Organisation's no-guns campaign, party president Mosibudi Mangena still possesses a firearm of his own. Mangena made the admission this week, but said his party colleagues were aware of the fact, and that he intended to get rid of it. He launched the campaign, which called for a ban on civilian ownership of guns, at Kagiso on the West Rand on April 21. "An immediate... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Guns, Ammunition Said Leaking to Crime from South African Police Stations
Sunday Times (Johannesburg)
14 August 2007
The police have denied allegations of lax firearms and ammunition control. The Democratic Alliance yesterday said questions were to be submitted to Parliament after receiving reports about ammunition not being properly controlled at police stations around the country. In a statement Dianne Kohler Barnard, the DA spokeswoman on Safety and Security, said reports had been received about fully loaded R5 rifles being kept in... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Johannesburg Gun Safety Educator Said to Pass 80 Pupils She Didn't Train
Star (Johannesburg)
6 August 2007
With no firearm training and for as little as R400, a Joburg gun trainer has passed at least 80 people who have never handled a gun in their lives. With these certificates, people can apply for a police-competency card that would allow them to apply for jobs in the security industry, where their employers can legally give them loaded guns. Nelisiwe Mola, an accredited Safety and Security Sector Education Training Authority... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Africa
International Gun Control Activist's Daughter Shot, Injured in Johannesburg
South African Press Association
3 August 2007
The daughter of long-time gun control activist was shot and wounded during an attempted hijacking in Johannesburg, the International Action Network on Small Arms said on Friday. Joseph Dube's daughter Ntombifuthi Mbatha was shot in the back by one of two armed men outside her home on Tuesday. "The bullet lodged next to her spinal column, requiring four hours of neurosurgery to remove it. Ntombi remains in a critical condition... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Guns Used in a Third of Domestic Violence Cases in South African Province
Cape Times (Capetown)
26 July 2007
Firearms are used in a third of domestic violence incidents in the Western Cape, research by the University of the Western Cape's Community Law Centre has found. Although not scientific, the study, "Does he have a gun?", provided a reasonable reflection of the extent to which firearms were used in domestic disputes, Helene Combrinck, the centre's gender project co-ordinator, said on Wednesday. Police statistics did not... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Govt Refuses to Lower Firearm Licensing Age from 21 to 18
Cape Times (Capetown)
6 July 2007
The Firearm Control Act is not about to be amended to allow 18-year-olds to legally own weapons, safety and security ministry spokesperson Trevor Bloem said on Thursday. He was reacting to a Freedom Front Plus call for the Firearms Act to be amended to allow 18 to 21-year-olds to qualify for a valid firearms licence. This followed Monday's coming into effect of sections of the Children's Act that, among other things, reduces... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Angry South African Police Officer Shoots at Wife, Kills His Baby
Cape Argus (Capetown)
29 June 2007
A police officer faces a murder charge after allegedly shooting dead his 18-month-old baby after an argument with his wife. The baby boy -- Phumelela Odolo -- died on Thursday in the Red Cross Children's Hospital in Rondebosch. Constable Zithobile Nicholas Odolo, 34, stationed at Gugulethu police, allegedly had an argument with his wife at their Mgwanqa Street, Mfuleni, home at about 1.30am on Monday. He allegedly... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Universities Discuss Gun Control Problems on Campus
Vuvuzela (University of the Witwatersrand)
3 May 2007
Gun control on Wits campus is proving impractical, according to senior university executives. The firearms issue is topical, after the fatal shooting of a student at the University of Johannesburg's student centre and the recent massacre on a US campus at the Virginia Tech. Rob Kemp, Director of Campus Control, and Gary Taylor, Executive Director of Human Resources, said that gun control would prove difficult. "With more... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Govt Arms Maker Sells 100s of Millions of Rounds of Ammo
Business Day (Johannesburg)
4 April 2007
CAPE TOWN -- In revelations that could further damage SA's international reputation, a top- secret forensic investigation has shown that defence procurement agency Armscor has been selling hundreds of millions of rounds of surplus small arms ammunition into the open market in conflict with government policy. SA has for years been seen as a leader in the crackdown on small arms proliferation, particularly after its voluntary destruction... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Registry Trace, Stolen Gun Lead to Arrest of 6 Suspects
Pretoria News (South Africa)
11 March 2007
The recovery of a stolen firearm has led to the arrest of six suspects. Police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramaloko said the six were arrested on Sunday after Villieria police, carrying out a routine operation, spotted three men acting suspiciously. "The police pulled the men over and searched their vehicle." Ramaloko said they found a firearm not licensed to any of the suspects and arrested the men charging them with being... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Guns Out of Control as Firearm Crime Devastates Lives in South Africa
IRIN (UN News)
10 March 2007
Seven years ago, Pam Crowesly's twin brother was fatally shot at his workplace. The suspected perpetrator was a disgruntled former employee, but there were no witnesses. Little police investigation and no prosecution followed. Six years later, Crowesly's 16-year-old son, Daniel, also became a gun victim when his best friend accidentally shot him with a weapon he had borrowed from his father. The father was banned from owning a gun... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Bullet Maker Thrives as Shooters Wake Up to Lead Hazard
Business Day (Johannesburg)
5 March 2007
With gun enthusiasts spending £2bn a year on goods associated with their sport in the UK alone, it's not surprising that Nico Economakis would look to the export market to expand his Gauteng-based business in specialised metal-jacketed handgun bullets. A keen marksman and retired policeman, Economakis now sells 90% of his copper-plated, or electroplated, bullets to the US, Europe, Thailand, New Zealand and Canada through his... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africans Take Gun Licence Safety, Competency Test Using Internet
Citizen (Johannesburg)
28 February 2007
JOHANNESBURG -- As the Firearm Control Act's deadlines creep closer, South Africans who want to renew and/or apply for gun licences can do so by Internet. The computer-based testing service, e-Test, was officially launched yesterday on behalf of the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (Sasseta). The new system, developed by the computer-based testing and assessment company, Prometric, will be available at... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Family of 6 Shot Dead in South Africa: Father Turns Gun on Himself
Star (Johannesburg)
21 February 2007
First he shot dead his four children, his wife and mother-in-law in cold blood -- and about 36 hours later, Jacobus Johannes van Heerden lay dead in his car after having turned the gun on himself. In what they described as one of the worst murder scenes they had ever seen, police discovered the bodies of the six family members at about 10am yesterday at their Vanderbijlpark home. They were all shot in the head. Vaal Rand... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Family of 6 Found Shot Dead, Father Sought by Police
News24 (Cape Town)
20 February 2007
JOHANNESBURG -- A family of six was found on Tuesday, shot dead in a home in Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal Triangle, said police. Inspector Trudie Wilken said: "At 10:00, the bodies of the six were discovered." Four boys, aged between eight and 15, their mother, in her 40s, and their grandmother, in her 70s, were found with gunshot wounds to the head. "The mother and the two little ones were lying on a bed in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Australia
Recent Australian Study Cited as Evidence South Africa Should Ban Guns
Cape Times (Capetown), Column
5 January 2007
This Christmas season has seen the usual depressing litany of stories from around the country, of husbands shooting wives, criminals shooting cops, people blowing their brains out with guns, children dying in shooting accidents, and the general mayhem and chaos associated with our armed-to-the-teeth society. And, as in the classical definition of a litany (that of a series of prayer invocations which are followed by an unvarying... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
'Secret' South African Ammunition, Gun Disposal Deal Makes Parties Fume
Star (Johannesburg)
1 November 2006
The South African National Defence Force has classified as "secret" the discussions about a proposed arms-disposal project that could cost taxpayers up to R1,14-billion. Opposition parties were left fuming on Tuesday as a Defence Force briefing about the project to the parliamentary portfolio committee for defence was deemed "classified". It is understood that a number of internal SANDF objections were raised about the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
New South African Law Makes Owners Responsible for Negligent Gun Loss
South African Broadcasting Association
14 October 2006
The law of gun possession has become rather tricky in South Africa. Earlier this week, Special Assignment revealed that guns are being hired out to commit crimes. If a person's gun is stolen as a result of negligence and used to commit a crime, the person can be charged. If anyone is caught in possession of a gun which has been linked to a crime, police have to prove that that person, who has the gun, was at the crime scene. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Lobbyists Say New Gun Laws Increase Illegal Firearms
South African Broadcasting Corporation, TV Preview
10 October 2006
Organizations like the Black Gun Owners Association say the new gun laws are increasing the number of illegal firearms because its members aren't being compensated for handing them in. They are either going to keep them illegally, or sell them illegally. It's difficult to say what effect the new firearms legislation is having on the illegal economy, whether it's making guns more expensive because the demand has gone up, or cheaper... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Film Stars, Celebrities Promote Gun Control Campaign
Reuters
29 September 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Music star Zola, who played a gangster in the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, has urged South Africa to back a UN-driven accord aimed at controlling weapons worldwide. Zola said weak gun restrictions fed crime and drug addiction among teens in poverty-stricken communities. "You have to look at how guns and drugs end up in the communities. These kids aren't bringing them to Soweto. "But they get into... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Lost 2,297 Guns to Theft, Loss or Robbery: Auditor
Business Day (Johannesburg) / SAPA
28 September 2006
CAPE TOWN -- The safety and security department achieved an unqualified audit from auditor-general Shauket Fakie for the year to the end of March, though he did note that a lack of monitoring had resulted in noncompliance with policies, procedures and standing instructions. This continues a trend for the department, as in the past five years it received a qualified audit report only in 2003-04, apart from "emphases of matter" raised... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa's Superstars Unite for Global Gun Trade Treaty Concert
Africa News Dimension
28 September 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa's artists are organising a concert calling for African governments to sign up to an international Arms Trade Treaty to stop weapons falling into the wrong hands. The artists -- Zola, South Africa's kwaito hit-maker and television host will perform alongside disc jockey and presenter Unathi, newly-discovered Gumshev and hip hop heads -- Jozi at the Control Arms live concert at 8pm on Thursday 28 September... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Relaxes Gun Law, Extends Licence Validity
South African Press Association
6 September 2006
A bill which relaxes some aspects of South Africa's tough gun control laws was approved by the National Assembly on Tuesday, despite a Democratic Alliance claim that it was another piece of "draconian" legislation. The Firearms Control Amendment Bill, which still has to go through the National Council of Provinces, extends the validity of certain types of firearm licence. It does away with automatic disqualification to own a gun... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa's Gun Homicide, Gun Robbery Rates are 'Scary'
Tehran Times / AP
28 August 2006
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Watch your back in South Africa. They kill folks here. Murder them at a bewildering rate. Robbers kill their victims, bystanders kill criminals, family members kill each other. Gunbattles erupt on streets and in shopping malls. Passers-by whip out pistols and join in firefights between criminals and police or security guards. A recent flurry in high profile bloodshed even has police suggesting... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
A Drop in the Ocean: Dealing With Gun Violence in South Africa
World Press Review
27 August 2006
Escalating gun violence in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province led authorities to launch an operation in Durban north, Midlands, Ulundi, Umzinkulu, Durban South, Umfolozi, and Uthukela to seize unregistered firearms. In its first month, March, the operation netted almost 7,000 firearms. Midlands had the highest number of illegal firearms recovered with 2440 followed by Durban north areas with 1386. The member of the executive... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Rejects Gun Lobby Pressure to Scrap Firearm Relicensing
Business Day (Johannesburg)
24 August 2006
CAPE TOWN -- The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the African National Congress (ANC) have decided against scrapping the compulsory relicensing of all existing legal firearms but they will not refuse re-applications in accordance with the numbers of weapons allowed to individuals under the present act. After a further host of submissions from both pro- and antigun lobby groups, Parliament's safety and security committee has... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Deaths Down by Half Since New Gun Laws in 2001
Cape Argus (Capetown)
19 August 2006
New research has revealed that the number of gun-related deaths in South Africa has virtually halved over the past five years. The Institute for Security Studies, an independent small arms researcher (and anti-gun lobbyist), believe that the drop is a result of the implementation of the Firearms Control Act of 2000. The act saw a tightening of regulations and legislation related to gun ownership. Adele Kirsten,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Dealers 'Driven Out of Business' by New Firearm Law
Business Day (Johannesburg)
17 August 2006
CAPE TOWN -- Ninety percent of SA's gun dealers have been driven out of business and lost their livelihoods after the implementation of the Firearms Control Act, Parliament's safety and security committee heard yesterday. The committee was hearing representations from interested parties about a bill amending the act. The firearms industry was worth in excess of R2bn and employed thousands of people before the act came into effect.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Estranged Boyfriend Guns Down 3 Children, Servant, Self in South Africa
Star (Johannesburg)
15 August 2006
He asked each of them where his girlfriend was, then he shot them in the head -- one by one. A 32-year-old man had entered the ground floor flat and confronted a domestic worker and three children as they sat on the couch watching TV. He killed them and then shot himself dead. These events were explained to the police afterwards by the only survivor: a young woman who had been in the bathroom when the shootings took place.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Fighting New Law, South African Lobby Labels Gun Control a 'Total Failure'
South African Press Association
14 August 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Empirical evidence suggests that gun control is a "total failure" in curbing crime, the organisation Gun Owners of South Africa (Gosa) said on Monday. "It creates a community where only the government, which is then free to abuse its power as was the case in Apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany, and criminals, own firearms," said Gosa co-ordinator Charl van Wyk. Effective protection Responding... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Company Executive Pulls Gun at Board Meeting, Kills Three
Times (UK) / Reuters
13 August 2006
A company executive pulled out a gun and opened fire during a board meeting, killing two colleagues before shooting himself. The gunman, who was one of six directors meeting at the offices of the Silver Unicorn engineering company in Pretoria, also shot a third colleague in the head, critically wounding her, said a police spokeswoman. The incident is believed to have been prompted by the board's decision to suspend the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Owners Urged to Renew Licences Before Deadline
BuaNews (Tshwane)
11 August 2006
As part of the renewal process for fire-arm licences issued under the repealed Arms and Ammunition Act of 1969, police have urged gun-owners to renew their permits before the deadlines. Government has set various deadlines for the licence renewals, arranged by the birthdates of licence-holders and spread out over four years, in order to avoid backlogs and last-minute rushes. The current period is for renewals for those... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa's Gun Victims, Families March for Tighter Gun Control Laws
South African Press Association / AP
11 August 2006
Shameema Langeveldt has never recovered from the slaying of her only son. Veronica Von Staden struggles to care for her nephew crippled by a bullet through his spine. Lisa McBride's children are traumatised by frequent gunfire outside their school. The three women were among 20 demonstrators outside parliament on Friday, holding a vigil in driving rain for tougher gun control laws in a country behind only Colombia and Jamaica when... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Control Campaigners Mourn 104,000 South Africans Shot in a Decade
Cape Times (Capetown)
10 August 2006
Survivors of shootings and relatives of the 104 000 people shot dead in the past 10 years are to stage a vigil outside parliament on Friday to press the portfolio committee on safety and security to remember victims and survivors. Organised by Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), the vigil begins at 11am, coinciding with the start of parliament's deliberations on the Firearms Control Amendment Bill. The GFSA aims to express the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africans Are Shooting Each Other 'At a Baffling Rate'
South African Press Association / AP
1 August 2006
Watch your back in South Africa. They kill folks here. Murder them at a bewildering rate. Robbers kill their victims, bystanders kill criminals, family members kill each other. Gun battles erupt on streets or in shopping malls. Passers-by whip out pistols and join in fire fights between criminals and police or security guards. A recent flurry in the numbers of high profile deadly attacks has even police suggesting they... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Guns Taken and Sold from Police Armouries Fuel Crime in South Africa
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
31 July 2006
The disappearance of dozens of firearms issued to the Durban metro police department has blown wide open the haphazard management of arms and ammunition by municipal police services. State-issued firearms have been used in robberies and hijackings in Durban and surrounds, fuelling fears that criminals are buying guns from corrupt police officers. More than a hundred police guns may have entered the pool of illegal firearms in the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Ambushed, Killed for Their Service Pistols
Cape Times (Capetown)
20 July 2006
A policeman died in an ambush in Langa and his critically wounded colleague died in hospital soon afterwards on Wednesday night. The gunmen fled with the policemen's service pistols. The pair had gone out to investigate an assault, but found this to have been a false complaint. As they returned to their vehicle, gunmen fired at them from close range, striking each of the policemen in the head, police spokesperson... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Police Slammed for Giving Registered Gun Back to Killer
Star (Johannesburg)
17 July 2006
It has been almost a year since Rosina Chaba and her daughter, Ivy Thathana, were brutally murdered by a man they once loved. Today the spirits of mother and daughter have come back to haunt a policeman and the state. The policeman in question, Captain Thivakoni Thomas Mandiwana, is in hot water for having handed Jim Dioka Thathana back his licensed firearm, which he later used to kill Chaba and Thathana. As the... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Owners Mount Last-ditch Protest Against Gun Laws
Business Day (Johannesburg)
11 July 2006
CAPE TOWN -- Picketers lined up outside Parliament yesterday displaying placards urging the abolition of gun control by government as envisaged in its Firearms Control Amendment Bill. Yesterday was the last day for comment by interested parties on the bill. The demonstration by the Gun Owners of SA organisation (Gosa) formed part of efforts to have the firearms law scrapped. In June, Safety and Security Minister Charles... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Owners Target Changes to New Firearms Bill
Star (Johannesburg)
10 July 2006
A group of gun owners, unhappy about the proposed Firearms Control Amendment Bill, have protested outside parliament in disapproval of the law which they say will take away the citizens' right to protect themselves from criminals. The Firearms Control Amendment Bill has been met with both stiff opposition and approval from many quarters. The main objection has come from the Gun Owners of South Africa, an interest group... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Schoolboy Shoots His Parents in Confrontation Over Drugs
Herald (Port Elizabeth)
6 July 2006
A teenage schoolboy has gone on the run after allegedly shooting his parents when they caught him sniffing glue in his room. The 17-year-old King William's Town boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, allegedly shot his 46-year-old mother in the head and his 48-year-old father in the upper right arm and chest after they confronted him about his drug use. His mother died at the scene and his father was taken to hospital where... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, United Nations
South Africa's Commitment to Stamp Out Illicit Gun Trade Praised
BuaNews (Tshwane)
5 July 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- As governments, international organisations and civil society review progress in addressing the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, lobby groups in South Africa converged here today to show solidarity in this regard. United Nations member states are meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States, to review progress in the world's commitment to eradicate illicit trade in small arms.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Shootout Highlights Hundreds of Thousands of Illegal Guns
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
30 June 2006
The illegal automatic firearms wielded by criminals in Sunday's Jeppestown, Johannesburg, shootout have thrown a frightening spotlight on the hundreds of thousands of illegal weapons in circulation in South Africa. Although the South African Police Services have recovered more illegal firearms than those lost or stolen in the past six years -- 170 000 compared to 138 000 -- researchers believe 95% of the country's illegal weapons... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Takes Aim at Criminals, as Gun Violence Toll Rises
IRIN (UN News)
28 June 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Escalating gun violence in Johannesburg, South Africa, has brought overwhelming public support for a police 'shoot-to-kill' policy against armed criminals. After a series of bloody incidents that has shocked even crime-hardened South Africans, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said this week that any criminal pointing a firearm at a policeman or a citizen would be shot. Members of the public interviewed... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, United Nations
Staring Down the Barrel of Gun Trade: South Africa at the Cutting Edge
Business Day (Johannesburg), Opinion
27 June 2006
Athe the entrance to the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York stands a bronze sculpture: that of a .45 calibre revolver with its barrel twisted into a knot. This sculpture aptly symbolises the vision of the UN: "To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." Firearms result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries each year, with guns being responsible for between 60% and 90% of all deaths during... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
12 Deaths in Gunfight Raise Concerns Over South Africa's 2010 World Cup
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
26 June 2006
A gun battle between police and a gang that left 12 people, including four policemen, dead in a crime-weary country inured to daily violence has raised huge questions about whether South Africa is a wise choice to stage the next World Cup, in 2010. The gunfight began north-west of Johannesburg on Sunday. Some 20 men armed with AK-47 rifles stormed a supermarket, emptied the tills, stripped scores of shoppers of valuables, pistol-whipped... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
'Point a Gun at a Cop and You Will Die,' Says South African Minister
South African Press Association, Editorial
26 June 2006
Anyone who points a gun at a police officer will be killed, says Safety and Security minister Charles Nqakula. "There are some criminals in South Africa who are armed, and are prepared to kill people ... Anyone who points a firearm at police will be killed by police officers," he said. His message came after Sunday's shootout deaths. He admitted there was a lot of violent crime in South Africa which was "one of... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
In South Africa, More Die by Gunshot Than by Car, or By Any Other Injury
Sunday Herald (Scotland)
25 June 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Shootings, most of them fatal, by hand-held guns and other small arms are the leading cause of non-natural deaths in South Africa, far in excess of road accident fatalities. Every day newspapers carry grisly accounts of four-year-olds accidentally killing someone with their father's gun, of husbands shooting wives and of bank robbers storming shopping malls with AK-47 assault rifles. A recent report by Oxfam estimates... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Search for Mandela's Gun Shines Light on Apartheid Era
Reuters
23 June 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Buried beneath a thick layer of dirt on a former farm in a northern Johannesburg suburb is the most famous gun in South African history. Or so a team of historians believe. For the past week, a bulldozer has been digging on the Liliesleaf farm in Rivonia in search of the Bulgarian pistol that former South African President Nelson Mandela hid weeks before his 1962 arrest by the nation's white rulers. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Changes to South Africa's Gun Control Act a Scam, Say Owners
South African Press Association
22 June 2006
The draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill attempted to divert attention from Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula's managerial failings, the pro-gun lobby said yesterday. "The Amendment Bill is nothing but an elaborate scam designed to try to redirect attention from the gross managerial failings of Minister Nqakula," Thomas Eastes of Gun Owners of South Africa (Gosa) Western Cape said. At the end of February this... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Dealers' Business Slows to a Trickle
Star (Johannesburg)
22 June 2006
Jill Howard has enough guns to supply a small army of firearm enthusiasts. But there are no buyers and her stock of guns lie gathering dust on her shop floor. Like hundreds of gun dealers across the country, she is facing bankruptcy as the issuing of gun licences has dried to a trickle. Since the new Firearms Control Act came into effect in 2004, few gun licences have been issued and Howard now tries to make a living selling... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Mother Shoots Children, Then Turns Gun on Herself
South African Press Association
22 June 2006
A mother shot her two children, killing her baby, before committing suicide in Aliwal North in the Eastern Cape, police said on Thursday. Captain Ursula Roelofse said the 26-year-old woman shot her one-year-old baby boy and seven-year-old daughter at Joe Gabi in Aliwal North around 6.40am on Wednesday. She then turned the gun on herself. Her husband was at home when the shooting took place. "He went into... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
In South Africa, the Hunt is On for the Gun That Mandela Buried
Pretoria News (Tswhane)
21 June 2006
An earth-mover wobbles across a piece of open land on the historic Lilliesleaf farm in Rivonia, systematically clearing the site of bricks, concrete and rubble. It is on this portion of land that Nelson Mandela is said to have buried a piece of South African history -- a semi-automatic gun given to him by an Ethiopian colonel -- in a hole 1,5m deep. Forty-four years later, Nicholas Wolpe, the founder of the Lilliesleaf... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
28,000 South Africans Lend Their Faces to Campaign Against Gun Trade
South African Press Association
20 June 2006
Arms control campaigners are to present the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the world's largest visual petition at 10am at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg. They want government to know that thousands of South Africans are calling for tough controls on the international arms trade. Twenty-eight thousand South Africans lent their faces to the international Million Faces Petition, the world's largest-ever visual protest... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, World
South African Control Arms Campaign Calls for Curbs on Global Gun Trade
Business Day (Johannesburg)
20 June 2006
With no comprehensive global standards to help governments regulate the arms export industry, global public opinion is building behind support for stronger international arms controls, says a survey by the Control Arms Campaign. The effect is that people around the world are supporting the call on governments to introduce global principles to regulate the transfer of weapons and ensure they do not end up in the hands of human rights... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Africa
Illegal Guns are Africa's Real Weapons of Mass Destruction
Star (Johannesburg), Opinion
19 June 2006
Every day, gun violence kills more than 1 000 people around the world, leaving thousands more injured and bereft. This has led United Nations (UN) secretary general Kofi Annan to remark that in terms of the carnage they cause, "small arms could well be described as weapons of mass destruction". In 2001, UN member states committed to a programme of action to address the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, declaring... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, China
Cheap Chinese Guns Flood South Africa, Says Amnesty
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
16 June 2006
A recently released report by Amnesty International (AI) says Norinco 9mm pistols, which are cheaply manufactured in China, are commonly used in cases of robbery, rape and other crimes in South Africa. The report notes that, despite South Africa's stringent Firearms Control Act of 2000, firearms are filtering into the underworld after being lost or stolen. Although the United Nations Comtrade database recorded the sale... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Bill Under Scrutiny in South Africa's Parliament
South African Press Association
8 June 2006
Draft legislation to refine the controversial Firearms Control Act was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. Among other things, the amendment bill extends the validity of certain firearm licences and does away with automatic disqualification to own a gun when an admission of guilt fine is paid. According to a memorandum attached to the bill, it will require a person who holds an occasional hunter or sports-shooting licence... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Strong Opposition as New South African Gun Law is Tabled
Cape Times (Capetown)
8 June 2006
The long awaited Firearm Control Amendment Bill has been tabled in parliament despite strong opposition. Among other amendments, the bill seeks to extend the period of licences held by those dealing in firearms. It has also taken a more lenient approach to firearm collectors, no longer limiting their stock. But it does require that all "prohibited" and "restricted" firearms in the possession of registered collectors be... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Save Kids, Raise Legal Gun Ownership Age to 25, Pleads Cape Town Medic
Cape Times (Capetown)
2 June 2006
As parliament considers an amendment to tighten gun control laws, the head of Red Cross Children's Hospital, Sebastian van As, has called for the gun-licensing age to be increased to 25 years to reduce the alarming number of children killed or maimed by gunfire. He has made the call as parliament's safety and security portfolio committee considers submissions about the Firearms Control Amendment Bill. The bill is expected... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Gun Owners 'Lost' 50,000 Firearms in the Past Three Years
South African Press Association
1 June 2006
CAPE TOWN -- South African gun owners have disappointingly lost over 50 000 firearms over the past three years, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Thursday. Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on his budget vote, Nqakula said gun ownership in South Africa continued to be an emotive issue. Guns also continued to be the main weapons of choice in the commission of serious and violent crimes, but... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Law Reverses Earlier Weakening of Gun Registration
Business Day (Johannesburg)
1 June 2006
CAPE TOWN -- Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula has done an about-turn on existing gun licences, with the latest draft legislation insisting that all existing legal guns be relicensed. The latest version of the Firearms Control Amendment Bill, presented yesterday to Parliament's safety and security committee, abandons an earlier suggestion that the relicensing process be replaced by a national audit of all legal firearms.... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africans Urged to Back Gun Control Group's Stand on Firearm Changes
Cape Times (Capetown)
31 May 2006
The Gun Control Alliance is lobbying the public to support its submissions on the crucial Firearm Control Amendment Bill. Parliament's safety and security portfolio committee is to consider the bill this week and is to be briefed by the Department of Safety and Security today. Hailing the Firearm Control Act as "a lifesaver", the Gun Control Alliance noted the Medical Research Council had said firearm-related killings in... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Free Zones, a New Weapon in the War on Crime
IRIN (UN News) / Reuters
24 May 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa has one of the world's highest levels of gun violence, but in one small corner of Soweto, a huge township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, things are beginning to change. Jonas Thage feels a lot safer since he declared the community recreational centre he runs in Diepkloof, a suburb of Soweto, a 'Gun Free Zone' (GFZ). "Before this was a GFZ the situation was terrible but now, at least during the day,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Crime, Weapon Leakage Continue to Devastate Lives in South Africa
Reuters / IRIN (UN News)
22 May 2006
JOHANNESBURG -- Seven years ago, Pam Crowesly's twin brother was fatally shot at his workplace. The suspected perpetrator was a disgruntled former employee, but there were no witnesses. Little police investigation and no prosecution followed. Six years later, Crowesly's 16-year-old son, Daniel, also became a gun victim when his best friend accidentally shot him with a weapon he had borrowed from his father. The father was banned... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Approves Weakened Firearms Amendment Bill
BuaNews (Tshwane)
18 May 2006
Cabinet yesterday approved the Firearms Control Amendment Bill for submission to Parliament. The draft bill was published for public comment in February this year, with a deadline set at 31 March. The new Bill is set to play a major role in the enhancement of firearms control in the country. It seeks to change certain provisions in the Firearms Control Act of 2000 to ensure that firearm licenses are only awarded... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Survey Shows Most Citizens Want South Africa to be a Gun-free Country
Cape Times (Capetown)
4 May 2006
Most South Africans want the country to be gun-free, and for there to be harsher penalties for illegal gun ownership. Research Surveys South Africa has released a study which shows that more than two-thirds of people in metropolitan areas believe South Africa should be gun-free. Survey director Neil Higgs safety concerns were the chief reason for South Africans wanting a ban on gun ownership, although there were also those... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South African Cop Kills 4 Colleagues, 3 Women and a Baby in Gun Spree
BBC News
4 April 2006
A South African police officer shot dead four colleagues, three women and a baby on Monday night, and was himself shot dead by police early on Tuesday. The man first shot the women and child in Tarlton, north-west of Johannesburg. He then opened fire at a police station in Krugersdorp, killing four officers about 1900 local time (1700 GMT). He was shot dead in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg, after a manhunt. Police say... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa Should Not Weaken Gun Law While Threat Remains High
Cape Argus (Capetown)
4 April 2006
The vexing question of responsible gun ownership has returned to claim our attention with the airing of draft amending legislation that seeks to ease some of the restrictions imposed by the Firearms Control Act of 2004. That a mere five percent of South Africans are legal gun owners -- though theirs is an awesome 3.5-million weapons -- it might not seem of overriding relevance to the rest of us. The guns that threaten us... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gunshot the Leading Cause of Violent Death in South Africa
Xinhua
2 April 2006
DURBAN -- The South African death rate due to violence was more than six times higher than the global rate, according to information coming from world conference opened here on Sunday. The study by the University of South African shows that there were more than 27,000 violence-related deaths in South Africa in 2000. Gunshot injuries are the leading causes of violence-related deaths in South Africa, making up 46 percent... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Gun Licence Wait Triggers Anger, Panic in South Africa
Daily News (South Africa)
30 March 2006
While police publicly destroyed thousands of firearms on Wednesday, furious gun owners said police were giving them the "runaround" when they tried to hand in firearms for destruction or have their gun licences renewed. Friday is the deadline for millions of panicky gun owners, who have already had a three-month extension of the deadline, to renew their firearm licences. Many have complained the process of renewing their licences... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
No Rush by South Africans to Meet Gun Licensing Deadline
Pretoria News
27 March 2006
The anticipated rush by firearm owners ahead of Friday's deadline to renew their licences has not materialised. Central Firearms Registry spokesperson Director Phuti Setati said Firearm Registration Centres across the country had not experienced any sudden surge in the number of licence renewal applications from those born between January and March. "I am not at liberty to divulge the statistics in terms of received licence... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, United States
US Gun Lobbyist Urges 'Massive Civil Disobedience' in South Africa
Conservative Voice (USA)
21 March 2006
There is a new pro-gun, pro-self defense organization in South Africa, and none too soon. Gun Owners of South Africa (GOSA) was publicly launched on January 26 in Cape Town. It was my pleasure to be on hand for the auspicious event. South African officials, including Communist Party Member and now Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula just days before the GOSA launch, made it clear that the purpose of the new law requiring... ( gunpolicy.org )
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