Turkish firm debuts non-lethal weapon in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG

A Turkish company launched its advanced non-lethal electroshock weapon in the South African market Wednesday in the hope of equipping people with an alternative form of protection.

“The Wattozz electroshock weapon marks a new dawn of personal security in this beautiful country for ordinary citizens who face the threat of violent crime on an almost daily basis,” Sertan Aycicek, CEO of Albayraklar Group, said in a speech at the launch in the city of Cape Town.

He said his company realized for many years there was a gap in South Africa’s market for an innovative self-defense device like Wattozz, which is regarded as the most advanced non-lethal law enforcement weapon in the world.

The device, which looks like a short gun, can incapacitate an offender from a safe distance without causing death or permanent injury.

Aycicek said electroshock weapons manufactured by others have been proven to incapacitate assailants, even when they are safely used by trained professionals.

“Conventional electroshock weapons rely on wired projectiles, and the user needs to be in close proximity to their attacker. This is neither desirable for security and law enforcement officials nor the general public, who ideally need to keep physical threats at a safe distance,” he said.

Aycicek said their Wattozz device is not only effective in protecting the user’s safety but also provides a safe alternative for apprehending rather than injuring the target.

He said unlike electroshock products made by other manufacturers that use a cartridge containing compressed nitrogen to deploy probes, there is no gunpowder or gas in Wattozz.

First launched in Ankara in December 2018, Wattozz has increasingly become popular in Turkey.

The company also staged its first international launch earlier this year in Malaysia and has since signed distribution and representation contracts with several countries across the globe.

“Our aim has been not only to break the electroshock device monopoly of prominent rival firms but also to provide a product that speaks to consumer safety and wellbeing,” the company said.

The company also invited South African and other African investors to come to Turkey and buy shares in Albayraklar Group, which it described as the right investment.