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By Palesa Matlala
- Police seized firearms seen in a viral social media video and arrested two men after finding the weapons were allegedly unlicensed.
- Gun Free South Africa says the viral gun video shows how dangerous firearm behaviour has become normal in some communities.
Two men are expected to appear in the Tembisa Magistrates Court on Monday after police linked them to a viral video showing women playing with guns.
The footage spread widely on social media over the weekend and caught the attention of police.
In the video, two women are seen pointing firearms at each other and handling them recklessly.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said officers tracked down two men believed to own the guns.
“The firearms seen in the video were seized by police and preliminary investigations reveal that the firearms are unlicensed,” said Mathe.
The two men now face charges linked to the Firearms Control Act, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and possession of a hijacked vehicle.
Mathe said acting national commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya warned that police would take strong action against people who misuse firearms.
“The acting national commissioner said the arrests send a strong warning that the reckless handling and display of firearms will not be tolerated, and that police will act decisively against those who break the law,” said Mathe.
“Police further warn members of the public against the reckless handling and display of firearms, as such conduct endangers lives and constitutes a serious criminal offence.”
Gun Free South Africa said the incident showed how normalised dangerous gun behaviour had become.
Organisation spokesperson Stanley Maphosa said many people wrongly see firearms as symbols of power, safety and status.
“Firearms were designed to kill and to inflict harm,” he said.
Maphosa said using guns for entertainment or social media content showed a serious lack of safety awareness.
“It also exposes the limits of relying on the notion that says there are people who are responsible gun owners,” he said.
“People make mistakes, they act emotionally, they behave recklessly, and they become negligent.”
He said the incident reflected a wider problem in South Africa, where communities already face high levels of gun violence.
Pictured above: Police arrested two men linked to a viral video showing women handling firearms recklessly.
Image source: South African Police Service.
