Why do you want to disarm legal gun owners, Cele?

If one had to ask the average South African about which government institution they had the least faith in, the SA Police Service would probably be one of those most frequently cited.

There is a perception – right or wrong, but it is strong – that the police cannot protect us against crime and that when we end up as victims of crime, the chances of the perpetrators ever being brought to book are vanishingly slim.

And now, our cool, multi-hat wearing police minister, Bheki Cele, is determined to reduce the number of firearms in private hands.

We do not take sides on the gun debate, because both those who are pro and who are anti have good arguments.

A gun, used correctly and responsibly, can be used to protect a person and their family. A gun, used irresponsibly, can end up being used to settle arguments the violent way.

However, Cele, in aiming at the “soft” targets of existing and licenced gun owners is – like some of his colleagues in the ANC – focusing on one aspect of a problem, while ignoring the bigger and more deadly part.

This week, the minister made the claim that “reducing legal firearms reduces the pool of illegal firearms”.

It may well be true that some civilian-owned weapons end up in the hands of criminals, but the vast majority of firearms used in crime are either smuggled into the country (in the case of AK47 assault rifles, for example) or stolen from police or SA National Defence Force armouries (in the case of R4 and R5 assault rifles and handguns).

And Cele and his comrades have shown not nearly the same eagerness to clamp down on those weapons.

So that leaves us with a simple question: Why do you want to disarm the legal gun owners, minister?

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