At one time I was told that legal, personal ownership of a firearm was extraordinarily difficult in South Africa, but it seems that times have changed. That won’t stop the BBC, however, from trying to frame the problem as one of gun ownership as opposed to a criminal justice system that has largely collapsed along with the economy.
For the last six years Penson Mlotshwa has been carrying a gun with him wherever he goes in the South African city of Johannesburg. To the shops, restaurants and even the gym. His gun has become an extension of him as the country battles record levels of crime. “I’m not a fortune teller – I never know when I will be attacked,” the YouTube content creator told the BBC.
“Unfortunately, I’ve had to use my gun multiple times to protect myself,” he sighs, explaining how a man wanting his wallet pulled a knife on him after dinner one night. He drew his gun and made the mugger hand over the pocket knife, which he threw in the gutter.