Gauteng Lawmakers Sound Alarm as Illegal Guns Fuel Deadly Surge in Violence

Investigators believe the attack was executed using illegal weapons circulating freely in the community, contributing to a pattern of violent mass shootings across the province.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has issued a stark warning about the province’s rising gun violence, calling the situation “deeply alarming” and demanding urgent action to curb the flow of illegal firearms.

The committee’s concerns follow two major violent incidents: a mass shooting in Saulsville, Tshwane, over the weekend, and the murder of a witness involved in the Madlanga Commission, both of which underscore the increasingly brazen use of high-calibre weapons in Gauteng communities.

Saulsville Mass Shooting Claims 11 Lives, Including Minors

The committee condemned the deadly shooting in Saulsville, Pretoria, where 11 people were killed and 14 others injured. Among the victims were three minors and several women, highlighting the indiscriminate brutality of the attack.

“This tragic incident is yet another reminder of the urgent need to rid our streets of illegal firearms,” the committee said, expressing condolences to bereaved families and wishing the injured a full recovery.

Investigators believe the attack was executed using illegal weapons circulating freely in the community, contributing to a pattern of violent mass shootings across the province.

The committee warned that Gauteng communities are increasingly becoming “everyday crime scenes”, with illegal firearms enabling devastating attacks that compromise public safety.

Witness in Madlanga Commission Assassinated with High-Calibre Rifle

Adding to the crisis, a key witness—referred to as Witness D—was gunned down outside his home on Friday. Initial reports indicate that an AK-47 automatic rifle was used, further illustrating the presence of military-grade weapons in the hands of criminals.

The witness had been expected to testify before the Madlanga Commission, heightening concerns about intimidation, witness protection failures, and the ability of criminal networks to operate with impunity.

Committee Calls for Stronger Law Enforcement and Community Cooperation

The Portfolio Committee urged law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend those responsible for both the mass shooting and the assassination of the commission witness. They also called on Gauteng residents to fully cooperate with police, especially in the search for the three suspects linked to the Saulsville attack.

The committee reaffirmed its long-standing advocacy for a gun-free Gauteng, warning that the proliferation of illegal firearms poses a “grave threat” to the province’s stability and the safety of its residents.

A Call for Unified Action to Dismantle Gun Networks

The committee stressed that addressing gun violence requires strong partnerships between:

• Communities

• Law enforcement agencies

• Government structures

These partnerships, it said, are critical to dismantling the criminal networks responsible for trafficking, distributing, and using illegal firearms in deadly attacks.

The committee’s statement emphasised that only through coordinated, community-centred intervention can Gauteng begin to reverse the alarming escalation in gun-related violence.