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Firearms outnumbered other weapons used in taxi violence by 17 to 1 (2 546 to 148) between January 1994 and June 1999. The table below provides figures for the weapons used in taxi violence from 1994 to 30 June 1999:

Table 14: Weapons used in taxi violence 1994 - 1999
WEAPONS USED	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	TOTALS PER WEAPON
9mm pistol	146	162	243	128	108	34	821
AK-47 rifle	54	97	89	38	36	8	322
Assegaai/battle- axe/knobkierie/knife/rocks	38	41	42	8	8	1	138
R1/R4/R5 rifle	11	18	31	38	35	0	133
7.65mm pistol	20	20	45	6	7	2	100
Unknown weapon	19	5	3	1	35	6	69
38 special revolver	0	2	6	13	5	1	27
Shotgun	4	3	2	2	2	0	13
Grenade	2	0	3	1	1	0	7
Tokarev pistol	1	2	2	0	0	0	5
45mm pistol	0	0	0	4	1	0	5
Explosives	1	1	0	0	1	0	3
Makarov pistol	1	1	1	0	0	0	3
6.35mm pistol	0	0	0	1	1	0	2
Unknown firearm	222	196 3	60	133	179	25	1115
ANNUAL TOTALS	519	548	827	373	419	77	2763
Source: SAPS Taxi Violence Investination Unit, 1999

Of the firearms that could be identified, handguns comprised 67.3% of the firearms used and rifles and shotguns the remaining 32.7%.

In 1998, 25 337 cases of Pointing of a Firearm were recorded. This crime is on the increase, having risen from 22 742 incidents in 1996. Reported cases of Negligent Handling of a Firearm increased by 16.9% between 1996 and 1998 and cases of Firing a Firearm in a Municipal Area increased by 11% during the same period.

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Figures for 1999 include data up to 30 June 1999 only.