Mkhwanazi urges adherence to firearm laws before festive season

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has spoken out on growing concern about the improper carrying of firearms in public, emphasising the importance of following the law to ensure public safety.

In a viral video with road safety ambassador Ayanda Msweli on TikTok, Mkhwanazi outlined the rules governing firearm ownership and highlighted the dangers posed by people carrying weapons illegally.

“The law says if you have a gun it has to be concealed,” he said.

“A bigger gun has to be safely tucked into a bag and not held out in public. The smaller one, if I have it with me, must be put in a holster. You cannot go around just holding a gun in the open unless you are a police officer on duty. People working for private security companies are also prohibited from doing this.”

Mkhwanazi raised concern about the use of high-powered weapons, particularly rifles.

“I sometimes ask myself, why are people carrying war weapons, like a rifle, which is used to target things that are far away? You cannot protect yourself with that gun,” he said, stressing that self-defence should only involve small firearms.

He warned against ignoring firearms laws.

“The law does not agree with this behaviour, but people continue to do it and that makes people feel unsafe in their communities.”

He also referred to road safety during the festive season.

“We face the most transgressions with people who do not follow the rules of the road, especially with unroadworthy cars. If a taxi is on the road without a permit and it gets involved in an accident, the government cannot compensate the commuters because the taxi was not supposed to be on the road.

“We also have a problem with people who drive expensive and fast cars, speeding on the road and removing number plates to evade the cameras.”

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