Impose harsher sentences

I CONCUR fully with Professor George Devenish’s letter “Why the death penalty isn’t the solution in SA” (The Star, November 13).

So what is the solution to deal with the unacceptably high incidence of violence and other crime costing this country billions?

It costs the taxpayer millions to bring the criminals who perpetrate the crimes to justice and to jail them.

Are we not overlooking the obvious?

It is guns, ammunition and explosives that are the catalysts to violent crime. Criminals would be emasculated without them.

What about the receivers of stolen property – have any offenders been prosecuted? Common sense dictates that there should be harsh sentences for possessing unlawful ammunition.

Firearms would be useless without bullets. It is bullets that maim and kill, not guns.

If there were no receivers, there would be very few thieves.

Instead of mopping up the water of crimes committed, it is time to close the tap.

Surely if you knew you would receive a stiff prison sentence, you would think twice about being in possession of unlawful ammunition or buying stolen property.