The paper describes steps taken by governments, and in some cases civil society, to prevent the further proliferation of weapons. Instead of identifying countries as supplier and recipient countries, the article classifies them as source (not necessarily manufacturers), transit and end-user countries. Zimbabwe is both a source country, through its indigenous manufacturing capability, and a transit country. Mozambique is also a source country because it has been left with the discarded weapons of decades of civil war and these have moved out of Mozambique and permeated the region. However, it may also be classified as an end-user country as the available weapons are being used by individuals for criminal purposes. Swaziland has long been a transit country for weapons moving into South Africa during the struggle against apartheid, and more recently for criminal purposes. Yet Swaziland is now also an end-user country, as people are arming themselves for self-protection. Notes, figures, tables