South Africa: Spike in gun crime angers citizens

Many South Africans are outraged at the police service, accusing it of doing very little to tackle the country's escalating crime rate.

The latest crime statistics show that more than 7,500 people — including police officers — were murdered in South Africa in the three-month period between October and December 2022.

More than 3,000 of these victims died from gun violence, while the rest were killed with bare hands, bricks, knives and other dangerous weapons.

Close to 6,000 women were raped during the same period.

The recent killing of popular South African rapper AKA shocked the nation, which is now scrambling for solutions to violent crime.

The rapper was gunned down as he left a popular restaurant in Durban last month.

In January, gunmen opened fire on guests celebrating a birthday party in Gqeberha — formerly Port Elizabeth — on the country's eastern coast.

Eight people were killed and another three injured in the incident, which took place in the Kwazakele neighborhood.

In July last year, 19 people were killed in mass shootings within hours of one another in Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg.

Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee told DW that police had simply lost the war against criminals.

"I think we all have reasons to be very worried," he said. "The criminals are having a major onslaught. Organized crime syndicates are running amok. There is no respect for life. There is no respect for property."

According to regional think tank the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the South African Police Service (SAPS) hasn't paid much attention to deepening its understanding of crime or strengthening its capacity to analyze data related to criminal activities and their organization.

"Police leaders show little concern for these deficiencies, which stymies the efforts of those officers who wish to use the data better," David Bruce, an independent researcher and ISS consultant, said in a statement.

He said, "there is also no clear indication that purposeful steps are being taken to strengthen crime intelligence or detective services. These two SAPS components are vital to addressing crime."

Thousands of guns in circulation

Police Minister Bheki Cele said that efforts are in place to tackle the crisis. Focus is being placed on the thousands of illegal guns that need to be confiscated from local communities.

"In the past 12 months alone, police have permanently removed and destroyed 65,519 illegal firearms," he said.

Cele said that the police service "will continue operations to detect and remove illegal firearms and ammunition, while legislation intervention in the amendment to Firearms Control Act to address the availability of guns in our communities is underway."

But the number of guns in circulation frightens many citizens.

Many of the firearms have been used in robberies and common assaults — both of which are on the increase.

Some people are now calling for all gun ownership permits to be withdrawn and all firearms removed from the hands of citizens.

Gun Free South Africa, a local NGO, has called for intensified efforts to take guns out of the system.

The group's findings showed that 30 people are shot and killed every day across South Africa.

It said the increasing flood of guns and ammunition into South African communities leads to increased gun violence, including gun massacres.

"It is clear that government did not use the 2021 massacres to develop a strategy and plan of action to deal with increasing levels of gun violence and to curb the proliferation of guns," Adele Kirsten, GFSA's director said in a statement.

Capital punishment

There are other citizens calling for the death penalty — which was abolished in South Africa in 1995 — to be restored as a deterrent; however, human rights groups have objected to capital punishment being reintroduced.

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele told DW that the government is aware of the situation and is working at fixing it.

"These heinous and cold-blooded attacks, which are being investigated by law enforcement authorities, highlight the prevalence of gun violence and its impact in the communities," Gungubele asserted.

He gave details of new strategies the police intend adopting to make citizens safer.

"Cabinet reassures South African that the South African Police Service is being strengthened to prevent crime," Gungubele said. "This includes putting more police on the streets and setting up specialized teams that will focus on specific types of crime."

His words are of little comfort to the many people concerned that, by the time the solutions are finally introduced, it will be too little too late for thousands of crime victims.

Edited by: Keith Walker