Toy guns 'not good for kids'

2009-11-17 10:05

Sanri van Wyk

Cape Town - Toy guns are beginning to look more and more like the real thing - to such an extent that they are increasingly being used in robberies.

Gunfree South Africa (GFSA) has therefore asked retailers who stock toy guns to remove them from store shelves.

"We ask children to hand in these toys and we ask parents not to give them as Christmas presents," said Natalie Jaynes, the Western Cape director of GFSA.

As part of a special campaign with a view towards toy sales increasing over Christmas, GFSA had already collected about 5 000 toy guns, said Jaynes.

"We believe that in a country like South Africa, which is traumatised by crime, it is imperative that peaceful games are encouraged. We want to spread the message to children that firearms are not fun.

Contradictory messages

"Parent convey contradictory messages to children when they tell them to stay away from real firearms, but then give them toy guns to play with.

"When a parent gives a toy to a child, the child assumes the parent approves of the toy."

Jaynes said children "practiced" situations. "When playing, they are practicing to be adults by using things that adults use. Do we really want them to practice violence?"

Jaynes said so far, Pick n Pay was the only store supporting the campaign.

Pick n Pay spokesperson Tamra Veley said they only sold water guns as these couldn't be mistaken for firearms and were "innocent fun".

She said Pick n Pay had decided years ago not to sell toys that could be mistaken for firearms.

- Beeld