Building the BRICS: South Africa dealing with gun control problem

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Ironically, analysts say, the murder rate has increased since the introduction of the legislation and the crimes most likely to be committed with fire arms, like armed house invasions and robberies, increased by more than 100 percent after the legislation was introduced.

FRANS CRONJE, CEO, SA INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS South Africa's gun control legislation is focused not on the problem. But very much on the wrong target group. Our problem of violence and crime is a problem of illegal fire arms. Fire arms that are not in lawful individual possession, or in the possession of the state.

MARTIN JOHN HOOD, ATTORNEY We have good legislation on paper, it's not properly implemented in reality. If it were to be properly implemented and properly resourced, you would have some of the best legislation in the world.

The issue, an analyst says, isn't the legal and documented gun owners but the many illegal fire arms that are available and used in the commissioning of crime.

MARTIN JOHN HOOD, ATTORNEY Our fire arm legislation is aimed at the legal fire arm owner. It is not aimed at dealing with crime, in any way shape or form. As a result of that the resources allocated to controlling legal fire arms could be better used in controlling crime.

FRANS CRONJE, CEO, SA INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS South Africa's policy makers used stringent gun control to show the public how deeply they cared about the problem of serious and violent crime while failing to address the problem at the same time.

While fire arms are used in crime, only a small percentage of those are stolen from legal individual owners. The problem rests with weapons stolen and sold from institutions.

MARTIN JOHN HOOD, ATTORNEY The number of stolen state fire arms contributes substantially towards major crimes, such as cash in transit, or robberies of financial institutions, where there are gangs involved.

ANGELO COPPOLA, SOUTH AFRICA While legislation seems to be aimed at the wrong group, there are amendments in the pipeline that are probably going to make it more onerous for those gun owners to maintain those weapons. Meanwhile crime continues to increase. I'm Angelo Coppola for CGTN in johannesburg South Africa.