Firearms were used to commit nearly half of the 6,953 murders recorded in Q3 of 2024 - SAPS
On Friday, police released the third quarter crime stats which showed that 6,953 murders were recorded in the last three months of last year.
Two people were shot and killed following a robbery on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal. Stock image.
JOHANNESBURG - Almost half of close to 7,000 murders committed in the country between October and December were committed with firearms.
Guns remain the weapon of choice for criminals in South Africa.
On Friday, police released the third quarter crime stats which showed that 6,953 murders were recorded in the last three months of last year.
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In almost half of all the murders committed in SA between October and December, firearms were used to commit crime, followed by knives.
SAPS crime registrar, Major-General Norman Sekhukhune: "2,886 of the murders were committed with a firearm. We have seen that one firearm is capable of killing seven people and four attempted murders. So, this simply indicates the weapon that was used and not the count of the weapons that were used."
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said that illegal firearms were a major problem in SA.
"We know that murder and weapons, that is firearms, and illegal firearms, go hand in hand."
On Thursday, police destroyed just over 16,000 firearms in accordance with the Firearms Control Act.