carrying these days Nawaal Deane and Roshila Pillay It’s a liquorice allsorts bag of tricks when it comes to guns nowadays. You can get a pink-coated gun with a gold grip, or for a less fashion-conscious gunslinger, a pistol with sliding action and automatic reload. Gun ownership is soaring, at just over 190 000 yearly, according to the Central Firearms Register. There are over 4,5- millionregistered firearms in South Africa; more than half, or 2,8-million, are pistols and revolvers. Dominating the handgun scene is the Chinese- make Norinco, the CZ (made in the Czech Republic), and Brazilian makes Taurus and Rossi – with or without extra design elements intended to tone down the harsh appearance of these killing machines. Alex Holmes, chair of the National Firearms Forum and the South African Gunowners’ Association (Saga), attributes the popularity of these best-selling weapons to the cost factor – manufactured cheaply, they’re inexpensive to buy. Private ownership of guns has become par for the course, and the government is concerned at their proliferation. In the pipe-line is the Firearms Control Bill, which aims to restrict the number of legally owned guns a person.
Holmes feels that the legislation is aimed purely at licensed firearm owners. “There is nothing aimed at illegal owners. It is completely misdirected,” he says. However with an escalating crime rate and scant number of police, many people feel they need to take their protection into their own hands. “Everyone needs to be protected and you cannot rely on the police,”
says Stanley Tgale, a gun salesperson for Dithunya Shop in Pretoria. The trend appears to be the purchasing of guns as a safety measure.
“Women are increasingly doing jobs traditionally dominated by men. This often demands late hours and trips to dangerous areas,” explains Eddy Pretorius, manager of Randburg Vuurwapens. There is consensus among gun shop owners that women tend to purchase guns for safety purposes while men acquire guns for sport as well as protection. While women traditionally do not have much knowledge of guns they are the more informed sex when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of using their weapon. “Women listen and therefore often outperform men on the shooting range,” says Pretorius. “When choosing a gun you need to look at the image, style and build of a women.” Women also have to be quite picky when it comes to selecting their firearm, especially taking into account the aesthetic aspects. Incorporating a bulky gun into the daily dressing routine calls for an accommodating manner.
“Women go for guns that are compact, lightweight and easy to conceal,” says Holmes. He insists that the choice of gun is never gender specific but rather based on what best suits the individual. However many gun shops note that women in particular have a penchant for .38 Specials and the small, light Taurus Millennium pistol. Gun shops report sales of smaller guns to women because they are easier to carry, particularly pistols. “Males are interested in the 9mm and 38 revolver. They especially like pump action guns,” says Tokkie van Zyl, the owner of Midrand Arms & Sport. When it comes to calibre, popularity again relates to cost. “The 9mm pistols are popular due to the cost of the bullets and the magazine’s capacity to hold more bullets,” says Ken Boomgaard, a combat shottist and police reservist. In terms of calibre, the 9mm parabellum pistol is the most commonly licensed firearm in South Africa. The 9mm short pistol, the 7.65mm, the .38 Special revolver and the 6.35mm pistol also sell well. For the gun enthusiast who sees these weapons as more than just a means for self-defence, there are many influences along the road to acquiring an impressive arsenal. Movies feature prominently in the mind of many an enthusiast.
In Face Off, Nicholas Cage’s butterfly holster stocked with two guns on his back served as the impetus for dozens of men wanting to mimic the decidedly cool style displayed by the actor. “This is an impractical and dangerous manner. The muzzle of the guns crosses the side of the body when the gun is drawn. This makes shooting yourself a very dangerous possibility,” warns Pretorius. Romeo and Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, made colour coating of guns a fad among younger men. Some even went so far as to engrave the words “Sword Rapier” or “Dagger” on the barrels of their 9mms.
The Matrix was one of the numerous movies that displayed total disregard for recoil – the impact of the gun on the body – when it showed Keanu Reeves expertly firing two guns while running on walls. The movie world’s misrepresentation of the world of arms is a bugbear for Holmes. “In reality gun owners cringe when they see these type of movies. They are completely inaccurate and portray people with guns as crazy, murderous maniacs.” Another interesting arms phenomenon falls in the much-debated sphere of guns as a sport. “The general public is not exposed to the sport component of guns and don’t realise how widespread it is,” says Holmes. In South Africa there are approximately 250E000 hunters. Only about 50 000 are members of hunting and shooting associations. “Hunters are predominantly male but that’s the same anywhere in the world. The calibre mostly used is .30-06. The locally manufactured Vektor hunting rifles are quite popular,” says Holmes. In sport there is a gender distinction when it comes to choosing a gun because of the physical differences between the sexes. “A man may use a larger calibre for sporting purposes because it ensures better marksmanship,” explains Boomgaard. Former Springbok pistol shottist Shereen Forbes views hunting for sporting purposes as unacceptable. “I grew up in an environment where hunting was the norm but now I realise that it is inhumane,” she says. However, shooting at competition level is drawing surprising numbers of women. South Africa produces its fair share of champions in practical shooting. South African Chantal Accone is rated second in the world in this sport.
Linda Swanepoel, a member of Saga and a police reservist, began her interest in guns as a sport. She competes at national and international level in shooting competitions and won the individual practical pistol shooting category in 1985. “You choose your weapon depending on which competition you are competing in. It is quite exciting,” says Swanepoel.
Whether it is the adrenalin rush, which does not seem to be a major consideration on female gun owners’ agenda, or if it is the increasing crime rate and violence directed at women, guns are still a major part of people’s lives. There may be lobbying cries for a gun-free South Africa but that is not likely in the foreseeable future. “It is a rather ridiculous concept and thought process because only law-abiding citizens and legal gunowners could be expected to comply with this and they aren’t the ones who need to be kept in line,” laughs Holmes.
And there’s always the cool images of gun- toting movie stars that might keep guns around for some time.