Johannesburg - South Africa has become ridden with crime, so much so that women are finding alternatives, such as owning guns, to have a sense of safety.
In November last year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) released quarterly crime statistics that indicated that between July and September 2022, more than 13 000 women were the targets of assaults with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
This includes 1 277 who were attempted murder victims, while 989 were killed, and an additional 10 000 were raped during the same period. According to reports, the Central Firearms Registry reported around 143 000 new licenses in the 2020/21 financial year.
Tshepi Mmekwa from Johannesburg is one of the many women that have found comfort and a sense of security in gun ownership. She said that although she loves sports shooting and the sheer discipline it instils in one when handling firearms, owning a gun makes her feel like she has levelled the playing field and gives her a greater chance of escaping life-threatening situations.
“As a South African woman, you can never relax and feel safe. I am always guarded. The crime levels in this country are far too high, and I am a woman with two kids and a husband, so protecting myself and those I love is paramount,” Mmekwa said.
Before receiving her gun licence in 2022, Mmekwa said she joined a gun club where she equipped herself with proper skills in handling a firearm, when to use it, and how to act in a dangerous situation. Luckily for her, she is yet to find herself in a situation where she has had to fire her gun at a possible attacker.
“As a firearm owner, you pray you never have to, as this would mean the possibility of injuring a person or ending a life,” she said.
Mmekwa said when it comes to gun safety, the most common mistake people tend to make is assuming that the poor depiction of how firearms are handled in the movies is how one needs to handle a gun in real life, primarily how individuals purporting to be thugs handle firearms in these films.
“The grip on the weapon is critical. What is also important is knowing which holster is suitable for you. We do not just stick our firearms in our pants and then run off. Furthermore, always assume a firearm is loaded until you clear it yourself. If someone hands you a firearm and says it is clear, clear it again. A firearm is not a toy. Therefore do not point at something you would not like to lose. Thirdly, beware of your surroundings. Owning a firearm does not mean you are Rambo (action movie character played by Sylvester Stallone),” she said.
Mmekwa finds a thrill in shooting the Automatic Kalashnikov, commonly referred to as the AK-47. “The power behind it and the never say die feeling it gives you when you shoot it is unbelievable. Though I must admit I never miss a shot when firing this weapon,” she added.
Although she is currently the only gun owner in her family, she said her love for guns had brought her and her 16-year-old daughter closer together.
“My daughter will soon have one since she is getting her competency. She wants to make sure she knows how to protect herself, but more than that, she loves the sport too. Besides, it keeps her close to mom,” said Mmekwa.
Tactical HQ’s administrator, Norma Thorsen, said their gun shop and shooting range had seen a remarkable increase in women choosing to be lawfully armed.
“Women are tired of being victims, of feeling unsafe and helpless in the light of the crime statistics and the inability of the police to protect them. The only difference between a woman with a firearm and a woman with a panic button for armed response is the time it takes to respond. Both of them rely on a firearm to save them,” she explained.
Thorsen has been in the gun trading space since 2014 and started training people in 2016. As a woman who works within the firearms space, Thorsen enjoys educating and imparting knowledge to her clients while honing her skills in responsible firearm ownership.
She said that aspiring women gun owners needed to know that they have a constitutionally mandated right to be free from all forms of violence and that if the government cannot look after them, it is up to them to look after themselves.
Thorsen said this is not an anti-social move but rather an intelligent move that prevents women from being victims of crime.
“Lawfully armed South African women, standing together, can make their communities uncomfortable for criminals and protect their families,” she elaborated.
While Thorsen has highlighted that Tactical HQ has seen an increase in women gun owners, the SAPS’ Enhance Firearm Registration System (EFRS) does not categorise firearm owners in terms of gender, race and age group. However, it is currently in the process of enhancing the system to provide such information. SAPS national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said 4 204 illegal firearms were seized in the 2019/2022 financial year. Another 2 035 during the 2022/2021 financial year and approximately 3 210 in the 2021/2022 financial year.