What you said: Stricter gun laws won't help while illegal gun trade runs rampant

TimesLIVE readers have weighed in on calls for stricter gun control in South Africa, with most saying the bigger issue is illegal trade in the country.

South Africa has experienced several tragic public shootings in recent months, including the assassination of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes on Florida Road in Durban on Friday night.

The star's friend, celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, was also gunned down in the incident.

Gun laws stipulate that anyone in South Africa who wants to own a gun has to undergo competence training and apply for a licence, with a separate licence needed for each firearm owned.

However, many crimes are committed by stolen or illegally acquired guns. Earlier this month the Sunday Times reported police stations were being targeted for weapons and ammunition during armed robberies.

Thirteen police stations were burgled between April 2018 and March 2021, with 78 firearms and 982 rounds of ammunition stolen.

The Gun Owners Association of SA said there is a need for a complete overhaul of the police service to address the issue of crime in the country. It also put the blame on the collapse of the criminal justice system.

“It is not as much about the proliferation of illegal firearms. The problem is much more to do with the growth of organised crime and crimes such as kidnapping. The main problem is the criminal justice system is fast losing its deterrent capability,” added policing expert Johan Burger.

TimesLIVE asked readers if they thought South Africa should have stricter gun regulations.

Almost all (94%) said it would not help “because of illegal gun trade”. 

Six percent said stricter rules would control access to guns.