Before reading Firearm Use and distribution in South Africa you should be aware and warned that this book was complied with the specific intention of convincing the reader of the need for new and more restrictive firearms legislation to control licensed firearms. With the ultimate intention of disarming law abiding citizens.

It is plainly obvious that no legislation can remove firearms from the hands of criminals. Only implementing legislation that makes the possession and use of firearms by criminals a crime can do this. Yet the presentation of the book as a serious study is misleading as it is nothing more than a propaganda effort designed to convince the reader that violent crime is caused by firearms and the removal of firearms will reduce violent crime. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nor does the book claim a relationship between crime and firearms ownership in the conclusion. "it is hoped that this consolidation of statistics and research on firearm use and distribution in South Africa will enhance the capacity of decision-makers to address more strategically the issues surrounding firearm proliferation in South Africa"

The general tone and direction of all comment and views expressed in the book as conclusions or statements use the propaganda techniques of an appeal to authority and censorship. To convince the reader of the belief that firearm legislation will somehow reduce crime, injury, cost, violence and misery. Nowhere in the book is there a distinction made between illegal firearms and licenced firearms. Other than to imply that control of licensed firearms is control of criminal violence and that firearms owners are no different to criminals. Which in propaganda terms is known as a logical sleight of hand.

Licensed firearm owners are more than 50 times less likely to commit violent crime. An organisation that has supposedly "studied the problem" incredibly has no reference to the growing body of evidence that clearly shows increased crime as the only result of gun control as experienced by every country in the world that has attempted such legislation to control crime. Using well-known propaganda techniques of censorship, presenting one side of the data only. The propagandistic nature of the book is evidenced by the total exclusion of every study that shows the opposite including the Lott - Mustard report ¹, the largest most comprehensive study on firearms ownership and influences to-date.

The inclusion of Chapter 5, has no place in a work of this nature and is an indication of the results of a propaganda campaign only. Its inclusion is further proof of the propagandist nature of the book

The foreword by Dr. B. L. Fanaroff offers the advice: "In trying to solve any problem, it is very important to understand the problem." It is a pity that his advice was not followed, not even by himself. Instead the ideological beliefs of zealots with a pathological hated of firearms is presented wasting both TAX paid resources and money in fulfilling a government desire that has no basis in fact.

This is clearly shown by the statement: "There is no doubt that the easy availability of firearms contributes to the high level of violence and violent crime. The Government has decided therefore to reduce the proliferation of firearms." The government has a hidden agenda and I challenge both Dr. B. L. Fanaroff and the government to prove a causal relationship between firearms and violent crime.

Not only is there a large amount of doubt, there is no accepted excepted evidence of a causal relationship between firearms and crime in existence in the world. Facts that must have been known by government, the Firearms Control Bill drafting team and those involved with the production of this book. This relationship exists only in the minds of the fanatical gun control movement. It is also an indication of the means and methods the government will employ to deceive the population.

No possible reason with evidence of validity for the stated desire of government to control (disarm) licensed firearm owners is given and should you wish to know why, then you are requested to ask the Minister in charge of the Dept. Safety and Security, Mr. S Tshwete or the President Mr. T. Mbeki both of whom should be able to answer fully. You should also consider the results of disarming law abiding citizens will be to increase violent crime not reduce it.

Read the book

¹ CRIME, DETERRENCE, AND RIGHT-TO-CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS
professor JOHN R. LOTT, JR., and DAVID B. MUSTARD [ Journal of Legal Studies, vol. XXVI (January 1997)]