Rise Mzansi has criticized the alleged failure of the police to track and remove illicit weapons from circulation

South African opposition party Rise Mzansi has warned that an estimated two million illegal firearms are in circulation across the country, posing a serious threat to public safety.

The party has criticised the South African Police Service (SAPS) for failing to track the specific makes of firearms used in crimes properly, a shortfall it says undermines crime analysis and detection efforts.

In a written parliamentary reply to Rise Mzansi, the Minister of Police revealed that SAPS's Enhanced Firearms Register System (EFRS) does not capture the specific makes of firearms, only their types, such as handguns, shotguns, or rifles. This means the system was unable to identify weapons like the AK-47s, Norincos, or AKMs, all of which have reportedly been used in violent crimes across South Africa.

Rise Mzansi Member of Parliament and National Assembly Caucus Whip, Makashule Gana, said the lack of detailed firearm data hampers the country's ability to track and remove illegal weapons from communities.

"Currently, the data provided in the EFRS can only differentiate in terms of firearm types (handgun, shotgun or rifle), not makes (AK47, Norinco, AKM)," the Minister of Police stated in response to the party's questions.

Rise Mzansi submitted a series of questions to the Minister in an attempt to determine how prevalent the AK-47 is in the commission of crimes, citing widespread reports of the weapon's use in violent incidents, including cash-in-transit heists, political killings, and mass shootings.

READ MORE: South Africa concerned over neighbor hosting US deportees

The AK-47 is prohibited under the South African Firearms Control Act, yet continues to appear at crime scenes, said Gana. "These guns should not be on the streets!" Gana said, warning that an estimated two million illegal firearms are circulating in South Africa. "None of us is safe," he said.

The party has called on SAPS to boost its crime intelligence capacity and develop systems to identify and confiscate illegal weapons more effectively. It has also urged the government to expand national firearms amnesties and introduce an anonymous reward system for tip-offs about illegal firearms.

Gana stressed the need for harsh consequences for those involved in the illegal firearm trade. He also raised concerns about police officers being implicated in the theft and resale of confiscated guns, some of which have been linked to murders and gang violence.

"The negligent loss of a SAPS-issued firearm must be a dismissible offence, for which senior SAPS officers must be held accountable. 

''Between 1 October 2023 and 31 March 2024, SAPS reported the loss or theft of 371 firearms and 29,128 rounds of ammunition,'' Gana said.

READ MORE: South Africa appoints new police minister

Rise Mzansi has vowed to raise the issue at the next available meeting of the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Police.

First published by IOL