NPOs bid to sensitise taverns about creating gun-free zones

Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) is conducting workshops educating liquor outlet owners about the importance of making their businesses gun-free zones.

GFSA, a non-profit organisation advocating for a gun-free society, is visiting different communities around Gauteng, interacting with groove spots and entertainment business owners to educate them on how to keep their establishments free from gun-related violence.

GFSA researcher Claire Taylor told Saturday Citizen the awareness campaign started in March, when the organisation interacted with the SA Liquor Traders Association, which agreed to work with them towards achieving a goal of making liquor outlets gunfree zones.

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“There is an increase in the number of gun-related deaths and injuries as a result of irresponsible alcohol consumption,” said Taylor.

“Alcohol affects parts of your brain that control how your body works. This affects your actions and ability to make decisions.

Empowering communities

“The benefit of having groove spots and restaurants declared gun-free zones is that it will empower communities to take charge of their safety quickly and simply.

“This reduces the risk of gun deaths and injuries.” Taylor said the initiative assists in reducing the escalation of violence, providing a safe space for customers and staff.

She said the organisation had already assisted several outlets in achieving the mission of not allowing guns in their operations, in parts of Tembisa in Ekurhuleni.

So far, awareness has been conducted in places such as Tembisa South, Tembisa North, Ivory Park, Alexandra, Braamfontein and Westbury. According to Taylor, the programme will be rolled out to other areas.

The researcher urged communities to always prefer to spend their time in places where there was a sign of a gun-free zone.

GFSA cited gun violence as a matter of serious concern, indicating that 34 people were gunned down daily in South Africa.

The organisation has, on many occasions, appealed to the government to establish a specialised firearms unit that would be tasked with recovering and destroying illegal firearms.

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A manager at Haya Restaurants in Tembisa, who welcomed the initiative, said: “It is easy to control the crowd if there is no-one in possession of a gun at the restaurant.

“Our place has already been declared a gun-free zone, so even as management, we don’t carry guns.”

Police crime reports show that there are a number of gun killings in entertainment spots such as taverns and other related outlets.

Some of the recent incidents included one in which two people died and three sustained injuries in a tavern shooting in Walmer, Eastern Cape, while two people died and three were injured in a shooting incident that happened recently in Harrismith, Free State.

More shootings

In other separate recent incidents, three people were shot dead, while six were wounded in a tavern shooting in KwaZakhele, KwaZulu-Natal.

Police crime statistics show that between 2020 and 2023, civilians reported the loss and theft of 16 486 guns to the police, with the South African Police Service, South African National Defence Force and correctional services reporting a combined loss and theft of 2 381 guns, of which 85% were police service pistols.

The statistics further revealed that, on average, 24 guns enter the illegal market every day.