Picture: A crime scene in Gauteng/Generic
By REGINALD KANYANE
29 June 2026- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said Gauteng continues to top the country’s crime statistics, with a concerning rise in shooting incidents and illegal firearm-related offences. The DA said new figures reveal that 2802 shooting incidents were recorded in almost five months this year, exposing the scale of a crisis that has made gunfire a daily reality and left people in violence-plagued communities wondering whether the next bullet will shatter their home, wound a loved one, or kill an innocent life.
DA Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety and Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Michael Sun said they call on the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to urgently address the escalating gun violence and remove illegal firearms from our communities. Sun said responding to DA questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) on shooting incidents, related crimes, and arrests across the province, Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi disclosed that 2802 shooting incidents were recorded between 1 January 2026 and 11 May 2026.
“Of these, 2197 cases relate to murder and attempted murder, laying bare the devastating human cost of this crisis. The City of Johannesburg (COJ), with 1077 reported cases and the City of Ekurhuleni (COE) with 848, remain the epicentres of this violence, but no community in Gauteng is insulated from the threat.
“Mass shootings, including the recent tragedy in Cleveland in which 12 people were killed, along with the ongoing gang violence in areas such as Westbury, Eldorado Park, and Bekkersdal, underscore the severity of the crisis. The data shared by the Premier further exposes a criminal justice system under severe strain,” he said.
Sun further said of the 2802 reported cases, only 609 (21%) have led to arrests, while just 425 (15.1%) have been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution. He added that, while SAPS statistics may show declines in certain crime categories, they offer little comfort to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
“They reflect a system failing to deliver timely justice, with a prosecution rate too low to deter violent crime. They also underscore a stark reality, where many communities have become conflict zones, driven by illegal firearms.
“The DA is the only party that has a solution to address the increase in shootings and illegal firearms-related cases. Through our CCC approach – Catch, Convict and Clean, we will expedite investigations and ensure prompt judicial outcomes through a dedicated SAPS–NPA task team to urgently review pending shooting cases,” said Sun.
He said they will intensify efforts to combat illegal firearms by targeting criminal networks, not law-abiding gun owners. Sun said they will also deploy technology such as gunshot detection systems and smart cameras to strengthen policing and enhance community safety partnerships.
The Guardian 