Stolen, sold, diverted: How legal guns become South Africa’s murder weapons
Twenty-two legally owned guns are reported lost or stolen in SA every day.
In South Africa, firearms are the leading cause of murder, accounting for 2,513 of the 5,170 murders investigated by police in the first quarter of the year. The majority of these firearms are believed to be stolen, lost or diverted from licensed owners, private security companies and even the police. This has led to a surge in illegal guns in the country, with cross-border trafficking playing a significant role.
The police spokesperson, Captain Andre Beetge, stated that the firearm used in the murder of Tiaan Minnie and his father, Heinrich Minnie, has not been found yet. Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg of the SAPS added that the company involved in the theft of firearms had their back door forced open and firearms, including safes, stolen. Nine shotguns, two rifles and three battle jackets were recovered from the thieves.
Experts say that the flow of legal firearms into the criminal underworld is mainly driven by thefts, losses or diversions from legitimate sources. A firearms training provider revealed that surrendered firearms to police for destruction were sold instead to criminals, who later handed them over to gangsters. One of the most notorious examples is the case of former police colonel Christiaan Prinsloo, who was convicted of selling 2,400 firearms meant for destruction to gangs on the Cape Flats.
The guns were used in murders and attempted murders in various Johannesburg suburbs, resulting in the deaths of at least 261 children and adults.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
