The firearm pandemic: Time to act and flatten the curve

Is South Africa (SA) at war? More murders have been reported in the first quarter of 2022 in SA than in 6 months of armed conflict in Ukraine.[1,2] Globally, SA has the eighth-highest homicide rate, with firearms the second-leading cause.[3] Despite an ~10% decrease in national homicides between 2009 and 2017 (38.4 to 34.5 per 100 000 population), there was no change in the firearm homicide rate, meaning firearms now account for a greater share of overall homicides.[3] Firearms were the most frequently used weapon for homicide from April to June 2022, corresponding to the 14.5% increase in illegal possession of firearms and ammunition when compared with the same months in 2021.[1] Nationally in 2017, men were 8.5 times more likely to be killed by a firearm than women, with those aged 20 - 34 years disproportionately affected.[3]