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"President Zuma's remark at Tzaneen in Limpopo (yesterday) that too many firearms are found in the hands of citizens proves that he is ill-informed about legal firearms. Earlier this month Zuma said that many people are murdered as a result of this. The Minister of Police, Mr. Nathi Mthetwa, also said this month that the excessive crime in South Africa is partly to blame on the large number of firearms amongst civilians. There is no proof for the statements of the President and Minister. I will be submitting questions about these statements in Parliament, and then the Minister can provide the figures. It is clear that a calculated campaign of suspicion against legal firearm owners is being employed. It appears as if the two court decisions on firearms, and especially the one about the compensation for firearms which had to be handed in, in terms of the new firearms act, is a thorny problem for the Minister," Mr. Pieter Groenewald (MP), chief spokesperson for the Freedom Front Plus on the Police, says.

"In countries such as Canada, New Zeeland and Australia, studies showed that violent crime increases if the citizenry is disarmed. Zuma and Mthethwa are quick to say that the Police has to shoot when criminals point guns at them, but what about the general public? Citizens are more exposed to criminals with firearms than members of the Police. The Minister himself says that criminals have automatic R5 and AK-47 rifles. The public does not possess such weapons, only the Police and the Defence Force. It is a myth to believe that citizens without firearms will give rise to crime being reduced, the opposite is rather true," Groenewald says.