'Gun amnesty has lost the plot'

2005-03-31 15:15

Johannesburg - The firearms amnesty has missed its target and many "illegal" guns that have been handed in are registered on the police database, but not in the names of heirs who have inherited them, the SA Gun Owners Association (Sagoa) said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Martin Hood said such people were legal owners under previous legislation.

He said Sagoa called for an amnesty that urged criminals to hand in weapons without fear of comeback.

"The minister (of safety and security) is badly advised by the police who want to catch criminals.

"Sometimes there has to be a compromise," Hood said.

"It's better to get illegal firearms out of circulation and let the criminals go than to let them use the weapons again."

Hood also said the current trend by police would "lead to the total (legal) disarmament of civilians".

He further warned that the stringent requirements in place had caused an increase in the underground trade in firearms.

"People who would otherwise comply with the law will rather own an illegal gun."

Hood said an effective amnesty would allow people, like a mother whose son was involved in armed crime, to quietly hand in her son's weapon without him knowing and have no comeback for either herself or for her child.

The amnesty, which started on New Year's Day, ends at midnight on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, safety and security ministry spokesperson Trevor Bloem told Sapa from KwaNongoma in KwaZulu-Natal that 1 335 illegal firearms had been handed in between 07:00 Wednesday and 06:00 on Thursday, as well as 1 334 legal firearms.

"In addition police around the country confiscated 161 illegal firearms," said Bloem who is accompanying Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on a firearms imbizo in areas worst affected by firearm violence.

"In typical South African fashion people are waiting for the last minute," said Bloem.

He reiterated the minister's warning that from midnight on Thursday anybody who had not handed over firearms would "face the full might of the law".

The total number of firearms handed in since the amnesty began on January 1 at 06:00 stood at 10 801 illegal weapons and 19 688 legal weapons.

A total of 8 387 illegal firearms have been confiscated in the same period.

Legal weapons handed in include unwanted firearms and ammunition that could also be too expensive for owners to keep under amended firearms laws.

- SAPA