Lack of political will blamed for organised crime riddling South Africa

June 13, 2023 129 1

Political and human rights activist, Professor Mary De Haas, says the government lacks political will to deal with organised crime in the country.

Her remarks follow this weekend’s gun violence that rocked parts of the country.

In one case, 15 people were shot and injured in a tavern in Soshanguve by unknown gunmen who budged into the establishment and opened fire.

In Khayelitsha, four people lost their lives in separate incidents, which involve two police officials who were killed while on duty.

A 12-year-old girl was also shot dead in Westbury.

Professor De Haas says the lack of transparency in gun management is one of the reasons why such crimes continue unabated.

Last month Police Minister, Bheki Cele, revealed that 6 289 people were killed with either a firearm, knife, sharp and blunt instruments, between January and March this year.

The Minister said the majority of the killings took place in the KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng provinces.

The Kwa Zulu-Natal province also reported the highest figures of multiple-murder cases, followed by the Eastern Cape with 206 and 155 victims respectively.

De Haas says there is no control on the guns that are circulating across the country as a lot of them are recycled. She says some of them are also not registered.

De Haas says the violence that erupted during the July unrest in 2021 after former President Jacob Zuma’s incarceration did not spare gun shops, as they were also looted.