*Campaign Update: Public comment closed on 2 August.
We all worry when we hear the sound of gunshots, and we should. Each day in Mzansi, 23 people are shot and killed [1]. Guns, both legal and illegal, are easy to get and threaten the safety of everyone.
We can help change this. A new gun law is under discussion that could help stop gun violence. You can help the new law become a reality by making public comment before the 2nd of August.
The Draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill, published by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, will reduce gun violence. You can read a useful five-page summary here [2].
Dear Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, this is my public comment on the Draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill. I strongly support the Bill because it will make our communities safer in these ways:
- Less guns in Mzansi would mean less people will be shot and killed.
- Police will be held more accountable for guns going missing.
- Stopping abusive men from getting a gun licence helps reduce women being shot and killed in their homes.
- Having a gun in the home increases the risk of violence in house robberies [3]. It is safer for everyone if there are no guns in our homes or streets.
- Limit people from buying lots of guns and bullets, including for hunting and sports shooting.
I call on you to strengthen parts of the Bill by doing the following:
- Make our schools gun-free.
- Those charged with drunk driving should never have a gun licence.
- Increase the age limit on gun licences to 26 years. This will protect our young people.
