Latest news with #FirearmsControlAct
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- The Citizen
Mchunu to release SA's fourth quarterly crime stats
The latest figures are expected to detail the latest reported crimes and progress made while tackling serious and violent offences. The Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, is expected to release the fourth quarterly crime stats on Friday. Mchunu, together with the National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, will present crime stats, reflecting on crimes that occurred during the fourth quarter of the previous financial year (1 January 2025 – 31 March 2025). The latest figures are expected to detail the latest reported crimes and progress made while tackling serious and violent offences. Third quarter stats In the third quarter crime stats released in February, Mchunu revealed a decline across multiple crime categories. The third quarter crime statistics covered the period from 1 October to 31 December 2024. Mchunu highlighted the persistent crime challenges in four provinces, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Eastern Cape and Western Cape. 'They pose quite a challenge. They dominate criminality in the country. These provinces coincide with where our metros are and the density of the population, and therefore, they are our focus,' the police said. ALSO READ: 'Most-wanted' CIT murder suspects dead in Boksburg shootout [VIDEO] Decline The latest crime data revealed a downward trend in several major crime categories, including a 9.8% decrease in murder, 3.3% reduction in rape and 3.2% drop in attempted sexual offences. Mchunu said 6 953 murders were recorded during the reporting period, with firearms remaining the weapon of choice. A total of 2 886 victims were fatally shot. 'The statistics indicate there has been an increase in cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. 'Just yesterday, 16 049 firearms were destroyed in accordance with Section 149 of the Firearms Control Act.' Murder Gauteng recorded the highest percentage of murder cases at 25%, followed by KZN (21.4%), Eastern Cape (18.9%) and the Western Cape (17.4%). Mchunu issued a strong warning to criminals involved in taxi violence and extortion-related murders, referencing recent arrests in the Eastern Cape and KZN. The minister also acknowledged the backlog of outstanding dockets, saying that the issue had now been 'projectised' and costed. ALSO READ: Violence against children soars despite strong laws
IOL News
22-05-2025
- IOL News
Pietermaritzburg detective arrested for ‘selling' stolen high-calibre firearm
The rifle and ammunition which was being sold by the police officer Image: Supplied AN OFF-duty Pietermaritzburg detective was nabbed when he allegedly tried to sell a high-calibre firearm, which had been stolen from a KwaZulu-Natal police station in 2006. The 52-year-old warrant officer, who is a detective at the Mountain Rise police station, was allegedly in the process of selling the firearm and ammunition for R10 000 to an unemployed person, in Northdale. The firearm is believed to be worth about R40 000 and was stolen from the Richmond police station in October 2006. Santhalingum Munsamy Reddy appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, and was remanded until his formal bail application, next week. Santhalingum Munsamy Reddy Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The officer was charged for the contravention of the Firearms Control Act after he was found in possession of a rifle. The arrest was made after police received reports of a person who was selling a high-calibre firearm. When police got to the area, the suspect was found with an R5 rifle and investigations revealed it was a police firearm which had been stolen. 'The firearm will be subjected to ballistic testing to ascertain whether it was used in the commission of crimes,' said Colonel Robert Netshiunda, spokesperson for the KZN police. A police source said the detective had been an officer for 31 years. He alleged the detective had been trying to secure a buyer for the gun for the past two weeks. 'On the night of his arrest, he was negotiating a deal for the gun, which is worth about R40 000, with an unemployed man from Northdale. The man buys and sells items, and was a random individual whom he had approached. 'It has been alleged he was attempting to sell the gun to the man for R10 000. When police pounced on him, he was in casual clothes, and not in his uniform. He had exited the driver's seat of his vehicle and was carrying a parcel. He placed it on the floor as police nabbed him. It was then that the police realised the man they were arresting was a colleague. His son was present when he was arrested,' the source alleged. The detective was described as a humble man who had been 'in and out of rehabilitation centres' for his alleged drug addiction. 'He is a humble man, but he had a drug addiction problem and was struggling to cope. He was in and out of drug rehabilitation centres. It is unfortunate to see his life take this turn. 'With the high crime rate, a weapon of this calibre should not be out in the streets or sold on the black market. If it got into the hands of a syndicate, the damage could be disastrous,' the source alleged. Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, called for corrupt police officers to be removed from their jobs. 'Corrupt officers must be arrested and removed from serving the people. Guns stolen from police stations are a significant concern. Police should be custodians of guns and keep them safe. Any gun in the wrong hands is likely to be used to commit violent crimes. Firearms are secured at police stations and other police buildings. Tighter measures have been put in place to control access, and only designated officers control the movements of firearms,' he said. In a recent address on the state of policing in KZN, Mkhwanazi said 106 police officers were dismissed for various acts of misconduct, ranging from corruption, violation of disciplinary code to bringing the organisation into disrepute. Mary de Haas, an independent crime expert, said dozens of guns had gone missing from police hands each year. She blamed a 'culture of impunity' within the police as the root of the problem. 'If no one is disciplined when guns disappear from police stations, and the ones who are responsible for the safe storage of the guns are not facing consequences, then that is where the problem starts. 'Police are not taking missing guns seriously. There's a culture of impunity, and nobody seems to face disciplinary hearings. This is the crux of the problem,' De Haas added. She urged police to thoroughly investigate the police officer who was found with the stolen R5 rifle. 'I hope there will be a proper investigation into this case. Who knows where this gun had been used. Another problem is when an officer is issued a gun, it is not always certain that they passed and updated their competency licence to handle a different weapon from the service pistol. 'But if they need a more high-calibre weapon for an operation or to arrest a drug lord, they just book out one of those high calibre rifles. Police management is doing nothing about it. This goes right back to inadequate police management of guns,' she said. THE POST
IOL News
21-05-2025
- IOL News
Urgent measures: South Africa considers banning blank guns amid crime surge
The government wants to tighten laws on the importation of blank guns as part of its crime prevention measures. Image: SAPS Criminals have forced the government to consider banning the importing of blank guns, while there are also plans on the cards to introduce a permit system to reduce their availability. The SA Police Service (SAPS) has asked the International Trade Administration Commission of SA (Itac), an entity of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, to immediately impose controls on the importation of blank guns, which are designed to fire blanks or non-lethal rounds. Under consideration is the imposition of specific conditions on the issuing of permits for the importation of blank guns or an outright ban on their importation. In South Africa, blank guns were originally intended for legitimate uses such as training by the SAPS and the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), signalling in sports events, and as props in the film industry. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ However, they have increasingly been misused by criminals. 'In particular, there has been a reported increase in the usage of imitation guns and blank guns in the commission of crime in the Western Cape,' the commission stated. According to Itac's notice issued this week, there may be several reasons for the use of blank guns in criminal activities, including realistic appearance as they closely resemble real firearms, which makes them effective tools for intimidation during crimes such as robberies or hijackings. Additionally, it is easy to acquire blank guns because they are more accessible than traditional firearms and can potentially be illegally modified to fire live ammunition, turning them into actual lethal weapons. The commission has noted that blank guns are among the various weapons used in criminal activities, especially in the commission of contact crimes. Concerns have also been raised that policing blank guns is made difficult by the fact that they are not currently fully regulated in terms of the Firearms Control Act (FCA). The SAPS recognises the danger that blank guns pose to public safety and has taken steps to regulate them more strictly. 'Given the use of blank guns in contact crimes, regulating their importation is a logical step toward reducing their availability to criminals. It also aligns with the broader firearm control strategies of the SAPS aimed at reducing gun violence in South Africa,' Itac explained. Police are considering amending the FCA, a move which is deemed necessary because, historically, blank guns were not regulated under the Act, which means they can be bought easily and carried without a licence. The proposed amendments to the FCA could include measures placing blank guns in a category similar to conventional firearms in terms of legal oversight, as well as other interventions aimed directly at the importation of blank guns. Itac said the amendment process is ongoing and will require time to finalise, while blank guns are being used to commit crimes. 'In light of the urgency of the matter, the SAPS approached Itac with a request for the immediate imposition of controls on the importation of blanks guns, such as imposing specific conditions on the issuing of permits for the importation of blank guns or an outright ban on the importation of blank guns,' the notice advised. Permits or the imposition of an outright ban will serve a multifaceted objective centred on public safety, crime prevention, and effective law enforcement, according to Itac. Blank guns are technically non-lethal, but some models can be modified to fire live ammunition or projectiles, thus posing a real threat to public safety. 'By controlling or banning the entry of blank guns into South Africa, the government can reduce their role in contact crimes,' reads the notice, adding that modified or even unmodified blank guns undermine public trust and challenge law enforcement agencies' capacity to respond appropriately. The commission does not want to ban legitimate uses of blank guns, such as police and military training, while film production companies and private security firms also rely on them for professional purposes. Itac explained: 'An outright ban might materially and negatively impact these sectors. This raises the issues whether a permit system would be a more balanced regulatory approach as it would allow authorities to scrutinise importers and related end-users, ensuring blank guns are only accessible to those with valid and verified needs.' It is proposing a permit system to import all blank guns into South Africa, and this will entail applicants, whether individuals or legal entities, undergoing identity verification, including submission of certified personal identification documents for individuals, and corporate registration, tax identification, and principal officer information for companies. Under this regime, individuals or legal entities must declare the intended purpose of the importation. Training exercises by the SAPS, the SANDF or private security firms, or film production companies will be considered acceptable purposes, but others may be allowed if they do not pose any risk to public safety. The sale of blank guns will also be banned to an end user unless the end user is a party identified as acquiring them for acceptable purposes.
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- The Citizen
Police and security companies aim for a crime free Sebokeng
SEBOKENG. In a bid to enhance safety and halt criminal activities, the Sebokeng SAPS joined forces with more than twenty private security companies in a strategic meeting recently The gathering, hosted by Constable Abram Mafereka from the Sebokeng SAPS Firearm Registration Centre (FRC) and Social Crime Prevention Unit, brought together key players in the private security sector operating within Sebokeng and was aimed at strengthening cooperation and outlining joint crime prevention efforts. The meeting was aimed at addressing the following: – Building partnerships with Private Security Companies – Guidelines on conducting compliance inspections in non-official institutions in terms of Sec 109 of the Firearms Control Act – Working together with Sebokeng SAPS in fighting crime in the area Police spokesperson, Sergeant Nthabiseng Mokhachane said, 'Crime fighting is not a one-man job. With the combined efforts of law enforcement and the private sector, we are building a united front that criminals will find hard to penetrate.' Sebokeng Police Station Commander, Brigadier Thembekile Kubone expressed her gratitude for the turnout and the positive spirit of cooperation. 'Together we stand, divided we fall. Our success lies in our unity. When SAPS and the community, including security stakeholders, work as one, the results will be felt on the ground,' she said. Community members are encouraged to report criminal activity or share information—anonymously if necessary—by contacting Sebokeng SAPS on 082 498 9563, 112, 10111, or 08600 10111. Tips can also be submitted via the MySAPS App. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Russia Today
22-03-2025
- Russia Today
South Africa's ‘femicide' emergency deepens
Inadequate resources and the poor implementation of laws that are supposed to protect women are hampering the efforts against the scourge of femicide and intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV has been thrust into focus again this week as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that the attempted murder case against Edwin Sodi has been struck from the Randburg Magistrate's Court's roll. This also comes days after Cape Town convicted murderer, Wayne Lawrence, was sentenced to a cumulative 71 years behind bars for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Angela, and the attempted murder of their daughter, who was shot in the foot during a domestic dispute. Lawrence was a licensed firearm holder who, at the time of the incident, owned two firearms. Controversial businessman Sodi faced attempted murder and assault charges but these were withdrawn by his estranged wife, Nthateng Lerata. It was alleged that during a life-threatening confrontation, Sodi attempted to shoot Lerata, but his gun jammed. READ MORE: Women could 'turbocharge' global economy – World Bank GBV victim withdraws charges against gun-wielding perpetrator NPA spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said they rejected Lerata's withdrawal statement due to the widespread scourge of gender-based violence (GBV). However, due to them both not being present at court on the day, the matter was struck from the roll. University of Cape Town (UCT) chief specialist scientist at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Professor Naeemah Abrahams, said data reflected that since 2009, three women have been killed by an intimate partner, per day. READ MORE: Forgotten heroes: How African soldiers fought in World War II 'This is a very sad indication of the failure of our Firearms Control Act and our Domestic Violence Act that very clearly specify that an abuser should not be issued a licence and that guns should be removed. Gun-related femicide has increased in the last few years. This is due to the poor implementation of laws that are supposed to protect women. 'Our national study shows more than 1/3 of women are killed with a gun... we know that IPV and femicide are preventable and we have evidence on what works. But it needs adequate resources,' said Abrahams. According to a recent research brief on femicide in South Africa by the SAMRC, the data showed findings of the 4th national femicide study, which coincided with the first year of Covid-19. Femicide conviction rates decreased during global pandemic 'In terms of convictions of femicide cases, the brief found that convictions decreased with the lowest levels reported during 2020/21. Less than one in five of the intimate partner femicide cases ended with a conviction. If we consider the increased number of cases with unidentified perpetrators, it is evident that the chances of a murdered woman receiving justice in 2020/21 significantly decreased. 'We found a mixed picture in the police and criminal justice system's response to femicide with improvement in the number of cases located in the police information system in 2020/21 compared to 2017. However, in 2020/21, in 44.5% of cases, a perpetrator was not identified... This points to substantially poorer performance than in 2017 when the proportion (30%) was already very high. This points to a lack of efforts to investigate such murders,' the brief noted. READ MORE: The Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa will fuel an upsurge in crime in a country that's already one of the world's most lawless SAMRC said: 'The unabated increase in firearm-related femicide over the 10 years since 2009 is an indication that firearm control has been lost in the country and reflects the deterioration in policing and lack of response to the calls for effective implementation of the Firearms Control Act. Our research over two decades shows an appalling decline in police investigations with the non-identification of perpetrators from 1999 to 2020/21 more than doubled (from 19% to 44%). 'This remains a huge concern and improved police responses are needed to ensure justice for all who are murdered. These are key objectives of the Integrated National Femicide Prevention Strategy which was developed in 2022 and is still awaiting approval by Cabinet.' In May 2023, Sodi made headlines after 15 people lost their lives and over 50 were hospitalised following a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, Pretoria. Sodi's company was awarded a R295 million tender to handle the long-standing water crisis in the area, however, the project was left incomplete. First published by IOL
