South Africa: firearm crime Corrupt police personnel in South Africa with criminal connections have contributed to a proliferation of illegal firearms Firearms are the most common weapon used to commit murder in South Africa. According to the official South African Police Service (SAPS) data, between 1 April, 2015 and 31 March, 2019, some 25,070 people (predominantly men) were murdered with a firearm compared to 19,355 individuals who were stabbed to death with knives over the same period. Of concern, since the 2015/16 reporting year, the number of firearm murders has increased by 32%. Firearms have also been the leading weapon…
