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Those who live in South Africa know that crime rate It's high here. But, over the past few years, fear unrest, violence, and concerns about personal safety have increased, leading to an increase in people applying for gun licenses so they can obtain weapons in hopes of protecting themselves.
According to Dr. Stanley Maphosa, executive director of Gun Free South Africa, a combination of fear, policy uncertainty and social instability has contributed to the sharp increase in gun license applications. But I am saying 702He said the increase has become especially noticeable after the chaos of 2020.
Maphosa said in his interview that many South Africans no longer trust that the state can effectively protect them from violence. And, given that in many cases not much is done and sometimes convicts have to sit in jail for a few days before being released again, this is not entirely unreasonable.
He mentioned the unrest in July 2021, which had a major impact and left many people questioning whether they could trust the police and security services in times of crisis. Additionally, repeated discussions over proposed changes to gun laws have led some people to accelerate license applications because they fear restrictions on gun ownership in the future.
The debate around civilian gun ownership has intensified after the draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill proposed that self-defense should no longer be considered a valid reason to own a firearm. According to Maphosa, the bill is still under discussion and must go through further consultation and parliamentary processes before it can become law.
Of course, one of the main concerns regarding legally owned guns is that they end up in the hands of criminals, and data is showing that firearms continue to be lost or stolen from civilians and security companies. According to the figures, 7,000 firearms were lost by civilians in the period 2024/25, while police lost more than 500. This equates to approximately 22 being lost or stolen every day.
Maphosa immediately argued that owning guns does not automatically make people safer, citing research suggesting that armed victims are more likely to be shot during violent confrontations and warning that firearms can increase the lethality of domestic violence incidents. Safe firearm storage is also important so that children do not have access to deadly weapons.
The interview highlights growing tensions in South Africa's firearms debate: while many consider guns necessary for self-protection in a high-crime environment, gun-control advocates argue that more firearms in circulation ultimately pose a greater risk to society.
(Source: Eyewitness News)