Gun Bill under fire as pro-firearm lobby warns it targets the wrong people

Gun Bill under fire as pro-firearm lobby warns it targets the wrong people

As South Africa debates how to curb violent crime, a pro-firearm lobby group has stepped into the fray with a blunt message: the country’s proposed gun law reforms are missing the real problem.

Safe Citizens, a pro-firearm organisation, has formally challenged the Firearms Control Amendment Bill of 2025, arguing that it places new burdens on lawful gun owners while doing little to disrupt the illegal firearms fuelling crime on South Africa’s streets.

“Punishing the compliant”

In a policy submission titled Safe Citizen: An Evidence-Driven Reframing of Violent Crime, the group contends that the Bill focuses on restricting licensed firearm owners and lawful security practitioners, instead of confronting repeat offenders, organised criminal networks and the illicit gun trade.

National coordinator Jonathan Deal said the approach misunderstands how violent crime actually works in South Africa.

“The idea that you can fix crime by restricting people who already follow the law is unsustainable,” he said, arguing that such measures could leave communities more exposed rather than safer.

Illegal guns, not legal owners

The submission points out that police themselves have acknowledged that most illegal firearms do not come from licensed civilian owners, but from cross-border smuggling, corruption and the theft of state-owned weapons.

From this perspective, tightening rules on legal ownership risks becoming a “tool-centric” solution, one that focuses on the weapon rather than the criminal behaviour behind its use. Deal warned that offenders adapt quickly, sourcing guns illegally or changing tactics when laws tighten.

Instead, Safe Citizens calls for intelligence-led policing, stronger border controls, focused deterrence strategies and tougher action against corruption within the system.

A country under siege from violence

The debate is unfolding against a grim backdrop. Between January and March last year, 5 727 people were murdered in South Africa an average of 64 deaths a day. Public frustration over crime is visible on social media, where opinions are sharply divided between calls for stricter gun laws and demands for tougher policing.

The submission highlights recent high-profile incidents where licensed firearms were used defensively. In Cape Town, Imam Ebrahim Lee survived an attack after using his firearm, while DA MP Ian Cameron reportedly used his weapon to fend off an ambush in Philippi.

Supporters of gun ownership say these cases illustrate why blanket restrictions may have unintended consequences.

Acknowledging uncomfortable facts

At the same time, the group does not deny that civilian firearms can end up in criminal hands. The South African Police Service’s 2023/24 annual report shows that 8 452 civilian guns were stolen or lost during that period, reinforcing research that private losses contribute to the illegal gun pool.

This tension, between self-defence and diversion risk, sits at the heart of South Africa’s gun debate and complicates efforts to craft policy that satisfies all sides.

Still waiting for a response

Safe Citizens has stressed that its submission is not a scientific study, but a researched proposal intended to spark evidence-based discussion. So far, only the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service has acknowledged receiving the document.

The Presidency, the Minister of Police and Parliament’s police portfolio committee have yet to respond.

As lawmakers weigh the future of the Firearms Control Amendment Bill, the challenge from the pro-firearm lobby underscores a deeper question confronting South Africa: is the country tackling the root causes of violent crime or simply reshaping the rules for those who already obey them?

{Source: The Citizen}

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