SA is 'cracking down on guns'

2004-06-21 17:12

Cape Town - South Africa, which has one of the world's highest crime rates, is cracking down hard on illegal weapons, as a new gun-control law comes into force next month, said Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on Monday.

"Between April last year and now, more than 25 000 illegal guns have been confiscated and the indications are that we will be able to confiscate even more," he said.

The Firearms Control Act, due to come into force on July 1, will make it mandatory for anyone applying for a gun licence to first undergo a marksmanship test.

It will also be illegal for a police officer to shoot a fleeing suspect.

Nqukula said there were "millions" of unlicensed guns throughout the country.

"There are more than two million South Africans who own (a total of) more than three million legally registered firearms.

'Amnesty' in the offing

"But, far more firearms are circulating illegally and these are responsible for many of the murders in this country," he said.

Nqakula said the state would give amnesty to those with illegal firearms, but did not provide details, saying: "There is going to be an amnesty, but the timing of this amnesty is important."

Statistics by the South African Institute of Race Relations showed that a staggering murder rate of 47 out of every 100 000 citizens in 2002.

- AFP