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Gun violence, gun control and small arms

Gun Dealers in South Africa Investigated Over Possible Law Breaches

15 May 2013

Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa)

JOHANNESBURG - An independent probe has been commissioned into alleged unscrupulous practices among firearms dealers, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Wednesday. Concerns had recently been raised about firearm dealers not complying with the Firearms Control Act, Mthethwa said in a statement. "In order to ensure that the provisions of the act are properly complied with… I have decided to set up an independent investigation into the practices complained of," he... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa)

South African Man Denies Fatal Shooting of Former Girlfriend

15 May 2013

News24 (Cape Town) / The Witness

PIETERMARITZBURG - A KwaZulu-Natal man charged with murdering the mother of his child after she had obtained a protection order against him has denied killing her. Thembinkosi Sibiya, 27, is charged with shooting Gugu Anette Ndlela in the head on 3 November 2011, when he also allegedly tried to shoot Ntuthuko Nxasana, the man he believed she was in a relationship with. He pleaded not guilty before acting judge Sibusiso Mngomezulu in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court on... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town) / The Witness

Gun Licence Dispute Continues in South Africa

30 April 2013

Eyewitness News (South Africa)

JOHANNESBURG - Despite statistics by the South African Police Services indicating a decline in gun-related crimes, the debate on gun laws and ownership in South Africa remains divided. Varying degrees of the debate have emerged with many still opposing the easy access to guns as it has been reported that it takes only 90 days to acquire a gun license. The issue was thrust back into the spotlight earlier this year, when Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Eyewitness News (South Africa)

South Africa Police Guns Seized in Raid on Gang Residence

9 April 2013

Eyewitness News (South Africa)

CAPE TOWN - Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said on Monday an investigation has been launched to determine how police issued firearms landed up in the hands of gangsters in Lavender Hill. Metro police officers carried out several raids in the area and other suburbs over the weekend where they confiscated illegal weapons and drugs. Officials also seized two police firearms as well as an AK-47 with ammunition. Plato said this was worrying. "I am actually... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Eyewitness News (South Africa)

South African Women Remain at Risk of Homicide by Their Partners

2 April 2013

News24 (Cape Town)

JOHANNESBURG - There has been no significant decrease in the rate of South African women murdered by their partners, the Medical Research Council of SA said on Tuesday. "In South Africa, the murder of women by their partners remains a serious problem," senior researcher of the gender and health unit Naeemah Abrahams said in a statement. According to a recent study led by Abrahams, the murder rate for women older than 14 was substantially lower in 2009 than in... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town)

South Africa,United States

Guns and Family Violence: How Many Tragedies Does It Take?

25 March 2013

al Jazeera, Opinion

On December 1, 2012, NFL linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins. He then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and then shot and killed himself in front of his two coaches and the general manager of his team, the Kansas City Chiefs. On February 14, 2013, South African track star Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through the bathroom door of his home. Two well-known athletes, two horrifying acts. While we don't know... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: al Jazeera

Dangerous Weapons Bill Adopted in South Africa to Curb Violence

13 March 2013

Global Times (China), Xinhua

The Portfolio Committee on Police on Tuesday adopted the Dangerous Weapons Bill as South Africa is moving to curb rising violence. The bill will repeal all legislation dealing with dangerous weapons. There are currently five different pieces of legislation that deal with dangerous weapons, including the Dangerous Weapons Act of 1982. The committee called on police to effectively implement the Dangerous Weapons Bill, which will also give powers to the police to arrest... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Global Times (China), Xinhua

The Need for Improved Firearms Control in South Africa - Analysis

11 March 2013

Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

In his affidavit before the court, South African 2012 Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius stated that he kept a 9mm pistol underneath his bed because he was scared of criminals. Following the events in the early hours of 14 February 2013 that saw him fatally shoot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, he now faces charges of murder. This is not the first such case. In 2009 Johannesburg homeowner Warren Voster accidentally killed his domestic worker's 12-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

South Africa: Port Elizabeth Police Destroy Over 2,000 Guns

9 March 2013

News24 (Cape Town), South African Press Association

PORT ELIZABETH - A total of 2 065 firearms were destroyed in Port Elizabeth on Saturday morning, Eastern Cape police said. "At least 848 of these have been voluntarily surrendered. The other 1 217 were confiscated by the state and had been used in criminal activities," said Lieutenant-Colonel Sibongile Soci. The firearms included rifles, shotguns and handguns. Nearly 40 000 firearms have been destroyed by police in the province since 2004, said... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town), South African Press Association

China,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Somalia,Angola,South Africa,Sudan,Zimbabwe,Kenya

Unknown Quantities of Chinese Arms in Africa a Concern

21 February 2013

Star (Kenya), Opinion

Much is being written and said in the media and academic circles about China's increasing engagement with Africa on many economic and other fronts. Some see this as benefiting Africa; others as detrimental to the real needs of African countries and peoples. Some critics have used phrases like "the second scramble for Africa" and "re-colonization of Africa" to describe the new development. The debate goes on. Yet, there is one subject that has not received the serious... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Star (Kenya)

Trinidad & Tobago,South Africa

Trinidad Official Thinks Gun Laws Don't Go Far Enough

20 February 2013

Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)

As the Government battles unbridled gun violence, national security adviser Gary Griffith says guns don't kill people, people kill people. On Friday, Olympic blade runner Oscar Pistorius appeared before the court in South Africa charged with the murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who had been shot four times with Pistorius' licensed gun. In South Africa where levels of crime are extremely high, many private citizens have licensed guns. But the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius Applied for Six Restricted Guns

19 February 2013

Independent (South Africa)

Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius applied for six separate firearm licences in January. Less than a month later, he stands accused of fatally shooting his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The killing took place during the early hours of Thursday at his luxury home in Pretoria. On Tuesday, as the Paralympian prepares to show compelling reasons why he should be released on bail, The Star can reveal that Pistorius applied for licences for the following firearms: - A Maverick... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (South Africa)

Gun Crime Falls in South Africa After Tougher Laws Introduced

19 February 2013

South Africa Info

The arrest of Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius following the shooting of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, at Pistorius' home in Pretoria last week has focused considerable attention, in the local and international media, on gun laws and gun ownership in South Africa. In 2004, new legislation came into force in South Africa, in the form of the Firearms Control Act of 2000, that brought in significantly tougher controls on the ownership, possession... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South Africa Info

South Africa Athlete Case Shows Risk of Having Guns at Home

18 February 2013

Guardian (UK)

There is a rule in screenwriting that if you introduce a gun into a scene, at some point you must use it. The rule applies to real life too. That's how Reeva Steenkamp lost her life. A gun appeared in her story, and she got shot dead. Regardless of the circumstances, when guns are near people, they kill people. I know the gun fraternity will say that it was Oscar Pistorius who pulled the trigger, and not the rest of the gun community out there. But that's what... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Guardian (UK)

Finland,United States,European Union,Germany,Switzerland,Russia,South Africa,Mexico

Registry Shows Germans Fourth in World For Guns

17 February 2013

Local (Germany)

Figures compiled for Germany's new National Weapons Registry reveal that there are 5.4 million legally owned guns in the country, making it the world's fourth most-armed nation per capita. Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday that the state of Bavaria topped the list with 1.1 million, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 1 million and Baden-Württemberg with 700,000. The new national gun register bundles together the data from over 500 local authorities, which... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Local (Germany)

United States,South Africa

How Strict Are South African Gun Laws?

15 February 2013

Time (USA)

The paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been charged with murder by a South African court following the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, from gunshot wounds at his home within a gated Pretoria housing estate. The woman sustained wounds to her head and the upper body, and was reported to have been shot four times. A 9mm pistol was recovered from the scene. According to Gunpolicy.org, there are just under 6 million licensed firearms in South Africa, which has a... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Time (USA)

England & Wales,South Africa

South Africa Gun Culture in Spotlight After Athlete's Murder Charge

14 February 2013

Telegraph (UK), Video

About one citizen in every 20 owns a registered firearm and millions more weapons circulate illegally. The gnawing fear of violent crime is such that most houses are surrounded by walls and barbed wire, often electrified to deter intruders. The wealthier neighbourhoods of Pretoria and Johannesburg are patrolled by armed guards from private security firms, who can be summoned at the touch of a panic button. Even so, many people opt to live – like Oscar Pistorius –... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Telegraph (UK)

Murder-Accused South African Athlete 'Enjoys' Target Shooting

14 February 2013

Guardian (UK), Video

Oscar Pistorius the Paralympic star and inspiration to millions around the world, was contemplating his future from a police cell on Thursday night after being charged with murdering his girlfriend. In a drama that stunned South Africa and admirers abroad, Pistorius allegedly fired four bullets into Reeva Steenkamp's head, chest and arm at his home in the capital, Pretoria, in the early hours of Thursday morning. The life of the glamorous athlete, known as the Blade... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Guardian (UK)

New 'Dangerous Weapons' Law Considered by South Africa Govt

12 February 2013

Money Web (South Africa)

A draft bill which seeks to empower police officers to arrest people carrying dangerous weapons during public gatherings came before Parliament on Tuesday. Addressing the portfolio committee on police, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said the Dangerous Weapons Bill would outlaw possession of any weapon, object, or replica in instances where there was an intention to use it for an unlawful purpose. "The bill seeks to prohibit the carrying of firearms and objects which... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Money Web (South Africa)

South Africa Police Destroy Over 3,000 Guns, Admit Losing 1,200

5 February 2013

Eyewitness News (South Africa)

JOHANNESBURG - At least 31,000 knives and more than 3,000 guns were destroyed by police in Vereeniging on Tuesday. The weapons were seized from criminals in Gauteng over the past two years, as part of the Operation Duty Calls campaign. The weapons were packed in white bags at the Arcelor Metal Plant in Vereeniging. A giant electric magnate liftted the weapons up to the brim of a 10-metre tall smelter, into which they would later be thrown into. Once the weapons have... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Eyewitness News (South Africa)

Audit Demanded as Gun Licence Corruption Alleged in South Africa

5 February 2013

News24 (Cape Town)

JOHANNESBURG - A probe into a former Gauteng police brigadier over alleged firearm licences corruption underlines the need for a forensic audit, Gun Free SA said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Adele Kirsten said such an audit should include all firearm licences issued in the past few years. "We have no confidence in the registry and are critical, especially over the last two to three years, of whether all those [who received licences] actually fit the criteria," she... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town)

Western Europe,Sudan,South Africa,Colombia,Finland,Estonia,United States

13 Key Questions and Answers about US Gun Violence

4 February 2013

Atlantic (USA)

How much gun violence is there in the U.S.? There were 8,583 homicides by firearms in 2011, out of 12,664 homicides total, according to the FBI. This means that more than two-thirds of homicides involve a firearm. 6,220 of those homicides by firearm (72%) are known to have involved a handgun. It's worth noting that violent crime rates of all types have been steadily decreasing since the early 1990s. No one is quite sure what is causing this decrease, though there are... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Atlantic (USA)

South Africa Police Seize Over 700 Illegal Guns During Festive Season

16 January 2013

SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg)

The South African Police Service (SAPS) made 67,000 arrests around the country over the festive season, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said at a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday. The arrests - for crimes ranging from murder, robbery and rape to fraud, shoplifting and driving under the influence - took place during the course of a festive season safety campaign which began on 15 October and will officially end on 31 January. A total of 704 were arrested for public... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg)

South Africa Police Fatally Shoot Thief with Banned Replica Gun

6 January 2013

Independent (South Africa) / Sunday Tribune (South Africa)

Despite legislation to prevent the production and sale of exact-replica toy guns, lifelike copies flood into the country and invariably find their way into the hands of criminals who pass them off as the real thing. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Westville police shot and killed a man who allegedly raised a replica toy gun and pointed it at them. The man was one of three who had allegedly broken into a home in Westville and fled with garden tools and a... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (South Africa) / Sunday Tribune (South Africa)

Honduras,Colombia,Mexico,Panama,Guatemala,Swaziland,South Africa,Jamaica,Philippines,Brazil,El Salvador,United States

Top 12 Countries for Firearms Related Deaths

17 December 2012

Forbes (USA)

Few major nations have the right to bear arms configured in their Constitution. Even fewer (as in we are the only one) have gun control legislation as a hot button political issue. The U.S. is the most violent core economy in terms of gun related deaths. It is also the leader in gun violence at school campuses. Yet, the U.S. does not lead the world in firearms related deaths. Countries were gangs and drugs are a problem top the list, even where there is strict gun... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Forbes (USA)

South Africa Civilians Lose Compensation Appeal for Destroyed Guns

4 December 2012

iAfrica (South Africa)

Firearm owners who voluntarily surrendered their guns to police for destruction will not be compensated by the State, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has ruled. It dismissed an appeal on Friday by two non-profit voluntary associations, the Justice Alliance of South Africa and the False Bay Gun Club, against a Western Cape High Court judgment. The high court had held that the minister did not overstep his legal capacity in published guidelines which provided that gun... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: iAfrica (South Africa)

China,United States,Zimbabwe,Sudan,Côte d'Ivoire,South Africa,Somalia

China 'Aggressively' Supplying Africa With Guns, Military Equipment

28 November 2012

Global Post (Boston)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — China's aggressive new strategy to sell weapons in Africa was on clear display at a recent defense exposition here. The pavilion for Chinese manufacturers was among the three largest at the Africa Aerospace and Defense exhibition in September, surpassed only by host South Africa and the United States, the world's largest weapons maker by far. Many of the made-in-China weapons touted by firms such as Norinco and Poly Technologies were... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Global Post (Boston)

South Africa Police Arrested for Involvement in 'Monumental' Arms Bust

28 November 2012

Herald (Port Elizabeth)

Police officers who allegedly sold weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition to criminals were arrested in a high-risk operation in Pretoria yesterday. … The operation stretched from a busy Pretoria shopping centre to a small police station north of the city yesterday. One of the three people arrested was the commissioner of the Rust de Winter police station, Captain Petrus Badenhorst. Investigators of the Hawks' crimes against the state unit, explosives... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Herald (Port Elizabeth)

South Africa Women Face Higher Risk of Violent Death with Gun in Home

22 November 2012

South Africa Government News Agency (Tshwane)

PRETORIA — Women are three times more likely to die violently if there is a gun in the house, Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana said on Thursday. "Domestic violence becomes even more deadly when guns, legal or illegal, are present in the home because they can be used to threaten, injure or kill women and children," Xingwana said. This is according to the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) Women's Network. The... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South Africa Government News Agency (Tshwane)

South Africa's 'Dodgy' Security Industry Creates Need for Gun Regulation

22 October 2012

Business Day (Johannesburg)

Crime levels in South Africa have spurred the nation's private security industry to balloon into one of the world's biggest, but experts say the number of underqualified and unregistered companies in the sector is reaching alarming proportions. The industry's rapid growth has raised fears over national security in the government, which is looking to increase regulation. This would include new provisions in the Private Security Industry Regulation Act on centralised... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Business Day (Johannesburg)

More Shootings in South Africa City, Young Cousins Shot on Same Street

1 October 2012

Independent (South Africa)

CAPE TOWN - A young Cape Town girl was shot in the leg on Sunday by gang members who were chasing down a rival - less than a month after her cousin was shot dead in the same street. Jasmyne Strydom, 13, became the third child shot by gangsters in September in Cape Town. Jasmyne, a Grade 8 pupil at Excelsior High, was shot in the achilles tendon as she visited a shop in Matroosberg Crescent at lunchtime. The crescent has seen a number of shootings over recent... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (South Africa)

South Africa Admits Police Lost Over 13,000 Handguns, Rifles Since 2007

26 September 2012

Democratic Alliance (Cape Town), Media release

In a reply to a DA parliamentary question received yesterday, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa admitted that 1 202 firearms have been be added to the 11 935 firearms lost by the South African Police Service (SAPS) since 2007, bringing the total to 13 137. The reply revealed that a total of 1 202 firearms have been lost or stolen in the last 18 months. Of the total, 1 090 of these were handguns and 59 were rifles. However, only 170 of the weapons have been... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)

South Africa Man Survives Suicide Attempt After Fatally Shooting Wife

17 September 2012

IOL (South Africa)

CAPE TOWN - An alleged quarrel turned violent when a man shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself. The shooting happened on Sunday morning at the couple's home at Asanda Village in Strand. The husband shot his wife in the head, killing her at the scene. He then shot himself. But the 48-year-old survived the gunshot and was airlifted to Tygerberg Hospital by helicopter. Laticia Pienaar, communications officer for the hospital, said the man, who could... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: IOL (South Africa)

51 Guns Lost or Stolen from South Africa's Defence Force in Last 3 Years

5 September 2012

Defence Web (South Africa)

The South African National Defence Force has lost or had stolen 51 firearms since 2009, including 38 assault rifles, according to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. Defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula stated that 51 firearms, including a machine gun and a grenade launcher, have been lost by or stolen from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) since 2009. This emerged in response to a parliamentary question posed by Pieter Groenewald of the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Defence Web (South Africa)

Gun Law Change Lowers 'Femicide' Rate in South Africa But Work Needed

22 August 2012

Money Web (South Africa)

One to two women killed are killed by their husbands, boyfriends or partners. Most South African women are killed by their husbands, boyfriends or same sex partners, a Medical Research Council (MRC) study has found. "In South Africa every one to two women killed are killed by her partner," said MRC gender and health researcher Naeemah Abrahams on Tuesday. The study, giving comparative figures of 1999 and 2009, indicated an overall decrease in female homicides as well... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Money Web (South Africa)

South African Police Gun Records 'A Shambles,' Many Weapons Missing

7 August 2012

IOL Daily News (South Africa)

KWAZULU-NATAL - Hundreds of guns from police station exhibit rooms across KwaZulu-Natal are missing or unaccounted for because of poor record keeping, an audit has found. The preliminary findings of the check have prompted provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni to put a task team in place to monitor the 184 stations in KZN to ensure their gun files are in order. Sources claim that at some stations more than 100 guns are reported missing or... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: IOL Daily News (South Africa)

South Africa Cop Kills Wife, Self After Court Overturns Gun Order

7 August 2012

Sowetan Live

A month after a court dismissed a protection order that prevented him from carrying a gun, a Mpumalanga cop has shot dead his wife and then himself. Distraught family members of Nelisiwe Nkomo, 21, of Kwaggafontein outside KwaMhlanga, said the justice system had failed to protect their daughter from her abusive husband, Witbank policeman Themba Nkosi Nkomo's father, Daniel Nkomo, said: "Clearly my daughter was killed by the justice system. If the court had granted her... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Sowetan Live

South African Medics Carry Handguns After Attacks On-Duty

18 July 2012

Times (South Africa)

Facing the threat of violence daily , paramedics are now arming themselves so that they can get on with the business of saving people's lives. This emerged yesterday during a judgment in the case of two men accused of raping two paramedics in Roodepoort, on the West Rand, in 2010. Private paramedics who spoke to The Times claimed that up to 60% of emergency workers at certain emergency services companies carried weapons to protect themselves against attack while on... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Times (South Africa)

Angola,Africa,West Africa,Venezuela,Iran,Egypt,Algeria,South Sudan,Liberia,Germany,France,China,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,South Africa

For Africa, Ammunition Control Deserves Global Gun Trade Treaty Focus

9 July 2012

IRIN (UN News)

JOHANNESBURG — For a couple of hundred dollars or less an arms dealer can illegally source a blank end user certificate with the required signatures and stamps - needed to transfer weapons across international borders - and "if no one checks its authenticity (often the case) he can ship his wares to the world's hotspots with minimal risk, for maximum profit," a report by the Small Arms Survey (SAS) said in 2008. Since then "not much has changed" Glenn McDonald, based... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: IRIN (UN News)

Gun Licence Woes 'Are Over' in South Africa

18 June 2012

Pretoria News (South Africa)

If you deserve a firearm licence and qualify for one, you will get it. This is the promise from the head of the Central Firearms Register (CFR) in Pretoria, Brigadier Miriam Mangwane. She is confident that the problems her office faced in the past are over. New firearm applications should be processed within 90 days. "If there is a delay, there is an explanation," she said. But gun licence expert and attorney Martin Hood is of the opinion that conditions remain... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Pretoria News (South Africa)

Gun Violence in South Africa, a National Public Health Priority - Analysis

17 May 2012

Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

ANALYSIS South Africa faces numerous challenges in preventing and reducing the levels of violence and crime. The burden of mortality and morbidity arising from violence and injury affects the lives of millions of individuals annually and continues to undermine social harmony and socio-economic development. This is, now more than ever, a national public health priority - one that needs to be monitored and controlled so as to limit the number of injuries and non-natural... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

Untrained Police Caught by South Africa's Post-Apartheid Gun Rules

1 May 2012

Telegraph (UK)

Thousands of South African police officers face being stripped of their guns or kicked out of the force entirely after a leaked internal report revealed that one fifth of those with licenses were not qualified to use police-issue weapons. A total of 27,400 officers failed to complete updated firearms training introduced last year, out of 129,713 armed staff in the nation's force. Following the revelation last month, several district commanders ordered officers who were... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Telegraph (UK)

South Africa Temporarily Halts Police Firearm Withdrawal

26 April 2012

BuaNews (Tshwane)

Pretoria — Police management on Thursday said they had halted the process of withdrawal of firearms from police officers. Briefing the media on what has been erroneously dubbed in some reports as police "disarmament", acting National Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the move to take the firearms from the officers was informed by an internal audit report, which was subsequently leaked to the press. "Such a document was meant to assist the management of the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: BuaNews (Tshwane)

South African Police Battle Over Removal of Firearms from Unfit Officers

23 April 2012

Times (South Africa)

The SA Police Service is locked in a battle with a union over the removal of firearms from more than 27000 officers found unfit to carry them and the placing of seasoned policemen as security guards. The SA Policing Union made a successful urgent application late last week for an interdict prohibiting Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and acting national police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi from disarming policemen in all nine provinces who have been declared unfit to handle... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Times (South Africa)

Ethiopia,South Africa,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Ukraine,Côte d'Ivoire,Eastern Europe,Russia,Central African Republic,Iraq,Afghanistan,United States,Colombia,Angola,Liberia,North Africa,West Asia,Africa

Shadowy 'Merchants of Death' Behind Africa's Illegal Gun-Running

11 April 2012

Think Africa Press (London)

Arms dealer Viktor Bout was sentenced to 25 years by a US federal court last week. Widely known as the 'merchant of death', the 45-year-old Russian has delivered weapons and arms to a wide range of presidents, insurgents and rebels in Africa and the Middle East including the likes of Charles Taylor in Liberia and Jonas Savimbi in Angola. He was caught in a US sting in which his services were solicited for the supply of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels. His companies... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Think Africa Press (London)

South Africans Express Outrage Over 27,000 Police Failing Gun Test

4 March 2012

Citizen (South Africa)

JOHANNESBURG - Pro-gun and anti-gun lobby groups found themselves in rare agreement yesterday as they expressed outrage over reports that more than 27 000 police officers on active duty had failed their firearms proficiency tests. A report in The Sunday Times yesterday revealed that 27 329 (or 17%) of the 157 704 police officers who had training to comply with the regulations of the Firearms Control Act, which took effect in 2004, failed firearms proficiency... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Citizen (South Africa)

27,000 South African Police Fail Firearm Test, Still Carry Guns

4 March 2012

iAfrica.com (Cape Town)

More than 27 000 police officers on active duty have failed firearm proficiency tests, the Sunday Times reported. This was according to a performance report dated 14 December 2011 by the SA Police Service's internal audit unit, the publication said. The report said the majority of those who failed the tests were operational officers "who were supposed to carry their official firearms on a daily basis". The Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: iAfrica.com (Cape Town)

Estonia,Dominican Republic,Ecuador,Ukraine,Kyrgyzstan,Moldova,Kazakhstan,Belize,Latvia,Venezuela,Belarus,Lithuania,Bahamas,Bolivia,Azerbaijan,Russia,Antigua & Barbuda,Guyana,South Africa,Jamaica,Honduras,Guatemala,El Salvador,South America,Colombia,Brazil,Central America,Caribbean

1/3 of Femicides Committed With Gun in Latin America and Caribbean [Espanol]

2 March 2012

RT-TV Novosti (Russia)

[Translated summary: Nearly a third of crimes against women are committed with a firearm and in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras this indicator is 60% - Small Arms Survey.] El mayor nivel de feminicidios se registra en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Catorce países latinoamericanos aparecen entre los 25 del mundo con la tasa más elevada de crímenes contra la mujer. El informe de la organización de investigaciones independientes Small Arms Survey,... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: RT-TV Novosti (Russia)

Philippines,Trinidad & Tobago,Zimbabwe,Zambia,Uganda,Tanzania,Senegal,Congo (DRC),Pakistan,Nigeria,Niger,Namibia,Morocco,Mauritania,Malawi,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Burkina Faso,Botswana,Egypt,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Ghana,China,United States,Austria,Russia,Israel,Bahrain,Asia,Africa,Brazil

Brazil Arms Exports: Country Preaches Peace, Sells Tons of Arms

28 February 2012

Huffington Post (USA)

A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.' One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Huffington Post (USA)

Italy,Philippines,United States,Russia,Germany,Czech Republic,China,Botswana,Oceania,Americas,Africa,Asia,Europe,Central Africa,Caribbean,South America,Central America,Zimbabwe,Namibia,Mozambique,Congo (DRC),Angola,Swaziland,South Africa,Southern Africa

High Gun Death Risk for Young African Men, Women at Home - UN Study

19 February 2012

Southern Times (Southern Africa)

WINDHOEK - Young men in Southern Africa are at the greatest risk of cold-blooded murder, while women in the region are more likely than others from around the world to be killed in domestic violence, a UN agency says. The statistics from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) come as the region battles to contain the proliferation of gun-related crimes. Experts have said gun-related crime is a major problem in South Africa and Swaziland, and is on the rise in... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Southern Times (Southern Africa)

East Africa,Mozambique,South Africa

South African Shipping Could Be Disrupted by New Piracy Gun Procedure

17 February 2012

Democratic Alliance (Cape Town), Media release

A South African Police Service (SAPS) instruction has been issued that all permits for vessel protection must now be sent directly to the Central Firearms Registry (CFR) in Pretoria, which is effectively defunct. Until three weeks ago any firearms aboard a ship were collected by the local Port Authority police, and held until the vessel was about to depart our shores, when they were returned. As piracy in the Mozambican Channel and East African shores is now endemic,... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)

Madagascar,Guinea,Ghana,Botswana,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Russia,Austria,Israel,Germany,Italy,United States,Yemen,Philippines,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Tunisia,Brazil,Burkina Faso,Egypt,Côte d'Ivoire,Malawi,Mauritania,Morocco,Namibia,Niger,Nigeria,Congo (ROC),Senegal,Tanzania,Uganda,Zambia,Zimbabwe,Argentina,Ecuador

Brazilian Gun Industry Seeks New Markets: Africa and Asia [Portugues]

27 January 2012

Publica (Brazil)

[Translated summary: With the support of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Brazilian gun manufacturers seek new markets in countries with a history of human rights violations: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Yemen. Brazil is among the six countries in the world with annual exports exceeding $ 100 million, according to recent research from Small Arms Survey. According to the Army, responsible for supervising and controlling exports from 2005 to... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Publica (Brazil)

South Africa Law Enforcement: 'Armed and Dangerous' Police - Analysis

12 January 2012

Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

People who possess firearms in South Africa can generally be separated into three categories. The first group consists of individuals in possession of duly registered firearms. The next group is of greater concern. They are the people who are in illegal possession of firearms. Not all people who possess firearms that are, according to the letter of the law, illegal are violent criminals. However, even this armed group is less of a concern than the last type. The third... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

Thailand,Colombia,Russia,United States,Uganda,Rwanda,South Africa,United Arab Emirates,Belgium,Sudan,Somalia,Côte d'Ivoire,Liberia,Angola,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Congo (DRC)

Stopping the Trade in Death, Gun Trafficking, Smuggling - Opinion

6 December 2011

New York Times, Opinion

On a dark November morning in 2004, I woke up in my bungalow overlooking Lake Kivu, tense with anticipation. Our small United Nations team was about to undertake a surprise inspection of three airfields in eastern Congo, notorious for smuggling operations. With the backing of U.N. peacekeeping forces and a U.N. Security Council mandate, we searched almost every incoming and outgoing aircraft that day. By evening, we had the evidence to link several aviation front... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: New York Times

South Africa Firearms Act Reduced Violence Against Women, Why Change?

6 December 2011

The Witness (South Africa)

CAPE TOWN — The proposed amendments to the Firearms Control Act should be opposed at all costs, because in its current state the law has succeeded in reducing violence against women and children. So says Dr Naeemah Abrahams, a researcher with the Medical Research Council. She pointed out the dangers of the proposed amendments during a discussion of the 16 Days Campaign of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children yesterday. This year's campaign will... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: The Witness (South Africa)

South African Province Considers Drastic Measures to Collect Illegal Guns

22 November 2011

South African Government (Pretoria), Media release

KZN MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mr Willies Mchunu said government is considering drastic measures to collect illegal firearms in the hands of civilians. He was addressing thousands of Mankengane community in eShowe today, 22 Novemner 2011. For years the community of this area has been experiencing faction fights that led to blood shed and disrupted school operations. In the past, this area has seen some tensions between two tribal authorities... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Government (Pretoria)

India,Afghanistan,Iraq,Sierra Leone,South Africa,Saudi Arabia,United States,United Kingdom,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa

'The Shadow World', an Incisive Exposé of the ArmsTrade - Book Review

1 November 2011

Telegraph (UK), Book review

If there is one book unlikely to appear on the Christmas reading lists of the former defence secretary Liam Fox and his self-professed adviser Adam Werritty, one suspects that this is it. The sorry case of Dr Fox and the mystery chum-cum-lobbyist amplifies what critics of the defence procurement industry – Feinstein prefers the racier "global arms trade" – have long argued. To put it mildly, and in a nutshell, it is not known for its transparency. Nor, for that... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Telegraph (UK)

Uganda,East Africa,South Africa,Kenya

Security Threat in Kenya Triggers Debate on Whether to Give Guards Guns

27 October 2011

Daily Nation (Nairobi)

At the Majlis Resort on Manda Island, the night watchman carries only a radio and a torch. As dusk falls on the island, a team of local police officers armed with rifles arrives and settles down on the beachfront. Less than a month ago, Somali pirates kidnapped French woman Marieu Dedieu from this very spot. Now police are here to guard a handful of tourists still remaining in Lamu, because they are the only ones who can do it. "The government wrote a letter to... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Daily Nation (Nairobi)

South Africa Police Gun Control Described as a 'Nightmare', Say MPs

13 October 2011

Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Political Bureau NATIONAL police commissioner General Bheki Cele and his top cops were slammed by Parliament's police oversight committee yesterday over the state of the service, with the chair of the committee describing its firearms control as a "nightmare". In the past five years, 11 935 SAPS firearms have been lost or stolen. As the police top brass were being grilled, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said in a written parliamentary reply that one-third (91 191) of... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Cape Argus (Cape Town)

One-Third of All South African Police Firearms Remain Unmarked

12 October 2011

Democratic Alliance (Cape Town), Media release

In reply to a parliamentary question the Minister of Police has revealed that one-third or 91 191 SAPS firearms still need to be marked to clearly identify them as SAPS weapons. This means that it is impossible to track where many of the lost and stolen firearms end up. It certainly explains the low recovery rate of 7% when it comes to missing weapons. In the last five years, 11 935 SAPS firearms have been lost or stolen I shall be writing to the Independent Complaints... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)

South African Opposition Party Explains New Dangerous Weapons Bill

28 September 2011

Democratic Alliance (Cape Town), Media release

The Draft Dangerous Weapons Bill was drawn up in response to a Constitutional Court ruling and is a necessary piece of legislation. In its current unamended form, the Bill leaves a great deal open to interpretation. Despite the various statements that have been made about the proposed new Bill, it must be remembered that it is still in its draft form. This draft legislation has been made available for public comment before being submitted for approval to Cabinet. Only... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)

'Collect Your Gun Licence', Say South Africa Police

28 September 2011

East Coast Radio (Durban)

Midlands police say despite their efforts of phoning, sending messages and visiting applicants' addresses - a large number of applicants, including security officers, still have not picked up their licences and competency certificates. Applicants have 90 days to collect their documents before they are returned to the National Central Firearm Registry Office in Pretoria. The police's Joey Jeevan says there is currently a huge backlog at the centre, which could lead to... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: East Coast Radio (Durban)

Politician Nabbed for Unlawfully Carrying a Gun in Durban City Hall

22 September 2011

Daily News (Durban)

An eThekwini councillor, who claimed to have received death threats, was arrested on Wednesday inside the Durban City Hall for carrying a firearm. A source told the Daily News the councillor had claimed the unlicensed 9mm pistol had been handed to him earlier in the day by someone in the toilets at city hall. Warrant Officers Deena Govender and David Cele of the Durban Organised Crime Unit – Cato Manor, and the Shongweni Dog Unit made the arrest after a... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Daily News (Durban)

India,Nepal,South Africa

Nepal: Impact of Small Arms on Gender

20 September 2011

Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion

1. Facts: Small arms: Small Arms mean the weapons that a single and individual can carry and operate. For example revolvers, self loading pistols, rifles, carbines, assault rifles, sub machineguns, light machineguns and associated ammunitions.[1] Light weapons means that can be operate two or three people. They may include heavy machine gun, hand–held under barrel and mounted grenade launcher, portable anti-aircraft and missile launcher, explosives, anti personal... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Telegraph (Nepal)

South Africa Police Fuel Illegal Trade: 11,935 Guns Missing Over 5 Years

11 September 2011

Democratic Alliance (Cape Town), Media release

Once again it has been revealed to the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been fueling the illegal arms trade. In a reply to a parliamentary question asked by the DA to the Minister of Police, he admits that in 2010/11 a total of 1 335 SAPS firearms were 'lost or stolen'. 101 of these were rifles, 46 were shotguns and the rest were handguns. Only 167 of the firearms have been recovered. A copy of the DA question and the Ministers... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Democratic Alliance (Cape Town)

South Africa's Murder Rate Progressively Decreasing: 16,500 in 2010

7 September 2011

BuaNews (Tshwane)

CAPE TOWN — South Africa's annual murder crime figures have progressively slipped down from 26 000 in 1994 to 16 500 in 2010. With the introduction of the Firearms Control Act in 2002, and as attitudes changed, about 640 gun dealers had to close shop between that time and 2006. Though the country's support for crime prevention has been "inconsistent", "trust between the state, communities and inter-communities" was improving. Also, communities' capacity for... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: BuaNews (Tshwane)

Backlog of South African Gun Licensing Appeals Now Stands at 13,673

25 August 2011

News24 (Cape Town) / SAPA

CAPE TOWN - The backlog of applications to appeal under the Firearms Control Act currently totals 13 673, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday. In written reply to a parliamentary question by Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus, he said there had been 26 709 applications for appeal since January 2008. Of these, 10 953 had been granted, 2 083 rejected, and 13 673 were still outstanding, he said. In a statement Groenewald said this was further proof... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town) / SAPA

South African Govt Urges Security Companies to Monitor their Guns

10 August 2011

South African Government (Pretoria), Media release

Strict compliance and greater cooperation between private security and SAPS is crucial. The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) has been urged to ensure it keeps track of security companies that possess firearms as well as ensure that properly-registered personnel utilise these firearms. This is the view of the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa in reference to a Parliamentary reply submitted recently on whether companies comply with firearms... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Government (Pretoria)

South Africa,Brazil,Argentina,Australia,Mexico,United States,Canada,Africa,Sweden,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas

Canada Gun Lobby Influence on Foreign Policy: Arms Trade Treaty

3 August 2011

Embassy Magazine (Canada), Opinion

Canada has never been a strong supporter of international efforts to negotiate an effective Arms Trade Treaty. But in mid-July, it reversed its previous low-key but constructive role at the United Nations ATT preparatory meetings to become a potential treaty spoiler. All indications point to this change of heart arising from the domestic gun lobby's influence on Canadian foreign policy. After years of preparation, member states of the United Nations will devote a month... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Embassy Magazine (Canada)

Sri Lanka,Sudan,Malawi,Zambia,Mozambique,Macedonia,Liberia,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Africa,South Africa

Africa: Analysis: How Best to Remove Guns from Post-conflict Zones?

28 July 2011

IRIN (UN News)

JOHANNESBURG - Cash for guns or buy-back programmes in post-conflict states have fallen out of favour as a method of ridding a society of weapons, and have been replaced by often elaborate schemes designed to remove money from the equation, but the debate continues as to the best way forward. The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) community has grappled for years with buy-back practices and acknowledges they can have a profound effect on the nature of... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: IRIN (UN News)

United States,Indonesia,New Zealand,South Korea,China,Russia,South Africa

New Zealand Police Promise Gun Ban for Rugby World Cup Bodyguards

14 July 2011

Stuff (New Zealand)

Foreign bodyguards will be banned from carrying weapons when protecting overseas dignitaries at this year's Rugby World Cup. New Zealand police will assume full responsibility for the protection of visiting heads of state and VIPs at the tournament, which starts two days before the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. Visiting security agents were permitted to carry weapons to protect foreign leaders during the 1999 Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Stuff (New Zealand)

Implementing South Africa's Gun Control Act - Failure or Work in Progress?

11 July 2011

Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria) / AllAfrica.com, Opinion

The South African Firearms Control Act (FCA), 2000 (as amended), which replaced the Arms and Ammunition Act (1969), was enacted to introduce more rigorous firearm control processes and procedures in South Africa, as well as specific policing actions in order to reduce firearms crime and violence. With another amendment to the FCA on the cards, various interest groups and NGOs have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the FCA to date. Much of the criticism by... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria) / AllAfrica.com

Gun Licence Backlog Reduced from 1 Million to 121,000 in South Africa

29 June 2011

News24 (Cape Town)

JOHANNESBURG - A programme to educate people about the firearm licence application process will be launched in August, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Wednesday. Roadshows would be held throughout the country at which people could detail any challenges they had faced with the process, he said in Pretoria. Speaking after a progress review meeting with the task team responsible for a turnaround strategy for firearms applications, Mthethwa said that the 1 080 696... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town)

Gun Ban Urged as South African Police Targeted, Killed for Their Firearms

19 June 2011

Independent (South Africa)

The grieving family of two slain Kraaifontein police officers joined local residents and police in a peace march through the streets of Wallacedene on Saturday, calling for an end to all "evil deeds". Speakers at the peace rally in support of Warrant Officer Gershwin Matthee and Student Constable Cannon Cloete called for a return of the death penalty for police killers, the removal of all illegal and legal guns from communities and a pledge for continued community... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (South Africa)

South African Police Committed to Clear Backlog in Gun Applications

10 June 2011

South African Press Association

The police are doing their best to clear the backlog in firearm applications, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday. "The ministry is doing its best, although more still needs to be done, particularly around capacitating the office," Mthethwa said in a statement, referring to the Central Firearms Registry (CFR). He was reacting to a report in The New Age newspaper that parties were considering laying charges of contempt of court against Mthethwa because of a... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

South African Major Backlog in Gun Licence Renewals Threatens Entire System

3 June 2011

New Age (Johannesburg)

The backlog in gun licence renewals is so severe that the entire application processing system is on the verge of "collapsing", an investigation by The New Age has revealed. Sources in the South African Police's Central Firearms Registry (CFR), speaking on condition of anonymity, said that officials were battling to clear the backlog but new applications were coming in everyday. With 200000 applications already received, and only 1000 being processed each working day,... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: New Age (Johannesburg)

The Number of Gun Licences Approved is Steadily Progressing in South Africa

24 May 2011

News24 (Cape Town)

CAPE TOWN - The number of firearm licence applications approved is steadily progressing, but much still needs to be done to ensure that legal firearms remain in the hands of responsible, compliant and law-abiding citizens, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says. Mthethwa on Tuesday was replying in writing to a parliamentary question on how many applications had been approved since the turnaround strategy announced in November last year. "The total number of approved... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town)

Police Have 4 Months to Consider Gun Licence Application in South Africa

19 April 2011

Pretoria News (South Africa)

In a victory for potential firearm owners, police will have four months to respond to applications for competency certificates. According to a Pretoria High Court ruling, the police have agreed that these applications be considered within four months of their lodging. The agreement follows an application brought by the South African Intruder Detection Association, several security companies and about 4 500 individual security officers. Part of the agreement reached... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Pretoria News (South Africa)

Soaring Police Gun Losses Bring Promise of Clampdown in South Africa

23 March 2011

News24 (Cape Town)

JOHANNESBURG - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has instructed the police inspectorate to "closely monitor" police gun management amidst soaring weapon losses in the service. "In addition to various corrective measures which we are currently implementing, I have instructed the police management to ensure that each time a police officer loses his or her firearm, there must be a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the loss," Mthethwa said in a statement... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town)

South African Police Have Lost 20,000 Guns Since 2004, Inquiry Hears

9 March 2011

BBC News

South Africa's police force has lost more than 20,000 firearms since 2004, a parliamentary committee has heard. MPs questioning police officials about the losses urged the force to take urgent action against officers who lose their weapons. They said they feared the guns were falling into the hands of criminals. South Africa - which has a high violent crime rate - has over the years struggled to control the number of unlicensed firearms in the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: BBC News

Police Promise to Speed Up Slow Gun Licensing Process in South Africa

23 February 2011

New Age (Johannesburg)

Gun enthusiasts waiting for their firearm licences may soon get some relief. Police are working on improvements at the Central Firearms Register (CFR) to speed up the process. National figures are not freely available, but Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said in a written reply to a Parliamentary question in October that about 58900 firearm renewal licence applications were outstanding in the Free State alone. In the period April to August last year, 4874 renewal... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: New Age (Johannesburg)

South Africa Shuts 23 Gun Registration Centres, Police Stations Take Over

13 January 2011

South African Press Association

The 23 firearm registration centres in Gauteng will be closed down because the Firearms Control Act has been amended, provincial police commissioner General Mzwandile Petros' office said on Thursday. "This office wishes to state that the decision was based on the amendment regulations as proclaimed in the Firearms Control Amendment Act which indicates that all renewals and competency applications will be dealt with at local (police station) level," said Colonel Neville... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

Crisis Hits Tshwane Police as South African Cops Lose Illegally Held Guns

13 January 2011

Pretoria News

A crisis with the potential to threaten the lives of tens of thousands of Tshwane residents and the city's metro police officers is fast developing following revelations that scores of law enforcers are illegally in possession of their weapons. The revelations come after four Tshwane Metro Police Department motorcycle unit members had their firearms taken from them yesterday because their firearm permits had expired. The confiscation of the guns, say TMPD members on... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Pretoria News

Register Antique Guns, or Face Jail… South Africans Warned to Comply

7 January 2011

Independent (South Africa)

Police are confident that goodwill on the part of antique gun owners will have them register their firearms, but they have no idea how many thousands of such guns or their modified or lethal replicas are in the country. This was the admission by national police commissioner Bheki Cele and some of his senior staff in Pretoria on Thursday. Cele made the announcement at a news conference on an amendment to the Firearms Control Act which comes into effect on Monday. The... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (South Africa)

South Africa Closes Licensing Loophole, Includes Muzzle-loading Guns

6 January 2011

Eyewitness News (South Africa)

An amendment to the Firearms Control Act which kicks in on Monday, patches a loophole which allowed people to own muzzle-loading firearms without licences. National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele announced several changes to the act at a briefing in Pretoria on Thursday morning. Muzzle-loading firearm owners, mostly hunters and antique enthusiasts, have one year to apply for competency certificates. Cele said these types of weapons were excluded in the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Eyewitness News (South Africa)

Most South Africans Get a Gun Licence Renewal, But 15,766 Are Denied

24 November 2010

Times (South Africa)

Police have handled barely a third of the gun licence renewal applications received since the Firearms Control Act of 2000 forced owners to apply anew to keep their weapons. Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has told MPs that just half a million of the 1.4-million applications for gun licence renewal since 2000 have been decided. In apparent contradiction of reports that most requests had been rejected, he said in a written response to a parliamentary question that 15... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Times (South Africa)

Police, Minister Promise to Fix Gun Registry, Licensing in South Africa

2 November 2010

South African Press Association

Both national Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and national Police Commissioner Bheki Cele promised to sort out problems associated with the central fire arms registry (CFR). Speaking at a press conference in Pretoria, Mthethwa said there were serious challenges with the CFR that were undermining the implementation of the Firearms Control Act. He conceded that some licence applications were taking as long as six years to process and that there were elements of... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

Zimbabwe,India,Algeria,Chad,Angola,Saudi Arabia,Colombia,Libya,South Africa,Swaziland,Cameroon,United Arab Emirates

South Africa Takes Fire for Gun Sales to Conflict Areas, Blacklisted Nations

1 July 2010

Christian Science Monitor

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa, which has been winning applause for its hosting of the 2010 World Cup, is now coming under fire for another success: global arms sales. According to the South African watch group, Ceasefire Campaign, South African arms merchants have sold $1.7 billion worth of weapons in the past decade to "problematic" countries that are either involved in internal conflicts or with poor human rights records. The arms sales would appear to be in violation... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Christian Science Monitor

Hundreds of Cops' Wives, Girlfriends Killed with South African Police Guns

30 June 2010

Times (South Africa)

The police's watchdog body is so concerned about officers who kill their wives and girlfriends with their state-issued guns that it has recommended forcing policemen to leave their weapons at work. The Independent Complaints Directorate conducted a three-year study, the results of which were released last month. It revealed that 49 women romantically involved with police officers were killed by them between 2005 and 2007. But not included in the report were the... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Times (South Africa)

Gun Owner Shoots Himself Dead After Killing Ex-girlfriend in South Africa

1 June 2010

South African Press Association

A 25-year-old woman was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend before he shot himself in Tweefontein Village, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday. Warrant Officer Patrick Mabena said the 28-year-old man visited his ex-lover at her home in section A on Monday afternoon. "A heated argument broke out between the duo. The man drew a firearm that he apparently stole from his father and shot the woman once in the head. "He then turned the gun on himself and blew his head up with one... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

World Pro Footballers Campaign for Permanent Gun Ban In South Africa

23 May 2010

Independent (UK)

Premier League footballers have launched a campaign to banish guns from South Africa during the World Cup – and for the future. For the first time in the country's history, personal firearms will be banned from stadiums during the tournament. But, when the contest finishes on 11 July, guns will once again be allowed in all public places. Every year in South Africa, some 10,000 people are killed with guns. Those who have fallen victim to the country's lax gun laws... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Independent (UK)

Former VIP Protection Cop Confesses to Shooting His Wife in Cape Town

19 May 2010

Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Former VIP Protection Unit member Sydney Mangena broke down and wept in the Western Cape High Court as his former boss testified that Mangena had confessed to killing his fiancee and later attempted to commit suicide. Colonel Gerard Victor, provincial head of the police's VIP unit, said yesterday that Mangena had called him minutes after he allegedly killed parliamentary employee Thobeka Vuso at a dinner party at a Waterfront flat six years ago. Victor testified that... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Owners of Unsafe Gun Ranges in South Africa Will Be 'Harshly Dealt With'

18 May 2010

News24 (Cape Town) / SAPA

JOHANNESBURG - Small arms shooting ranges that fail to comply with government safety regulations will be "harshly dealt with", the national regulator for compulsory specifications (NRCS) said on Tuesday. The NRCS would inspect shooting ranges across the country to ensure that owners were obeying the safety rules laid out in the NRCS Act, spokesperson Thomas Madzivhe said. "Where there is non-compliance, the NRCS will withdraw certificates of compliance issued for... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: News24 (Cape Town) / SAPA

10yr-old Boy Kills 4yr-old in Playfight, Cops Quiz Dad Near Johannesburg

13 May 2010

Telegraph (UK)

Abraham Mabaso, from Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg, had been brandishing a plastic toy gun during an after school game with his neighbour Edgar Monyela, but police believe the older boy had been holding his father's 9mm pistol and accidentally discharged it. Abraham's mother Sibongile Mabaso, 34, heard the gunshot and rushed to find her son dead on the grass in her front garden. Police spokesman Captain Shado Mashobane said the incident was a "terrible... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Telegraph (UK)

Gun Amnesty Over, Illegal Firearms Can Bring 25yrs in South African Jail

12 April 2010

South African Press Association

Crime Line on Sunday appealed to the public to "blow the whistle" on the use and trade of illegal firearms as the gun amnesty deadline expires. "Time has run out for gun-owners to surrender their legal and illegal firearms as the gun amnesty period draws to a close today [Sunday]," the head of Crime Line, Yusuf Abramjee, said. "Now is the time for South Africans to join hands with the police in ensuring a safer South Africa by ridding our streets of illegal... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

Gun Owners Still 'Confused' by Years-long South African Firearm Amnesty

8 April 2010

South African Press Association

JOHANNESBURG - As the 2010 firearms amnesty draws to a close this weekend, many gun owners are seeking advice after receiving mixed messages from the police and gun dealers, the SA Gunowners' Association (Saga) said on Thursday. Spokesperson Martin Hood said the police ministry was acting in bad faith by saying the amnesty period, which ends on April 11, must be used to update old firearm licences. "By presenting the amnesty as an opportunity for firearm owners to... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: South African Press Association

Estranged Husband Used Registered Handgun to Kill Wife in Durban Office

7 April 2010

Mercury (Durban)

A young mother of two died after being shot at her workplace soon after she was presented with a bunch of orange roses yesterday. Tania Donnelly, 29, a clerk in the Msunduzi municipality's electricity test and consumer centre, and mother of a 16-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, was shot twice in her stomach and once in her arm at her workplace in Havelock Road, Pietermaritzburg. She died in hospital later. Her shocked colleagues said the gunman, who was known... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Mercury (Durban)

Cape Town Cop Used Service Pistol to Shoot, Kill His Wife, Then Himself

6 April 2010

Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Constable Wayne Scheepers seemed to be the model policeman. But this weekend, Scheepers allegedly shot his 34-year old wife, Antonet, before turning the gun on himself in the couple's Paarl home. Their 16-year old son and five-year old daughter were staying with Antonet Scheepers' family when the shooting happened on Saturday night. Police spokesman Warrant Officer November Filander said neighbours heard the couple arguing inside their Polonaise Street home. Police... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Chasing Escaper, Cape Town Police Raid Home, Kill Schoolboy in Bed

2 April 2010

Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Police were on the hunt for a dangerous prison escaper when they stormed into a house near Empangeni late on Wednesday night. Shots rang out and a 15-year-old schoolboy, who had apparently been sleeping, lay dead. Kwazi Ndlovu was shot in his home in Esikhawini, near Empangeni. The killing of the Grade 10 pupil from Tiesand Technical School has reignited the debate over the police's shooting and killing of suspects. Just a day before, four suspected robbers were... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Cape Argus (Cape Town)

Cape Town Mother Killed 2 Daughters, Herself with Parents' Handguns

1 April 2010

Cape Argus (Cape Town)

A De Doorns woman has shot dead her two teenage daughters in their beds before lying down between them and turning the gun on herself. The drama unfolded in the Winelands town on Wednesday, when station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Desmond van der Westhuizen rushed to the family's home after he was tipped off by a staffer about potential trouble at the house. He raced to the house in Voortrekker Road, where he found the house locked. He smashed a window, clambered... (GunPolicy.org)

Read More: Cape Argus (Cape Town)

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