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Gun act won't trigger amnesty
22/06/2004 08:04 - (SA)
Anesca Smith, Die Burger
Cape Town - The time has not yet come for those with illegal firearms to receive amnesty, said Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on Monday.
Nqakula, who will be delivering his budget speech in parliament on Tuesday, was at the Waterfront as part of an awareness campaign about the contentious Act on Firearm Control which is set to become effective on July 1.
He said amnesty was in the pipeline, but the police were making good progress with the confiscation of illegal weapons.
More than 25 000 weapons had been confiscated since April last year, and 5 000 people had been arrested. Nqakula said many people, some of whom have had firearms in the family for generations, had submitted these voluntarily to the police to be destroyed.
There are more than two million registered firearm owners in South Africa, with more than 3 million weapons between them.
The police feel, however, that there are many more illegal firearms in circulation and these weapons are used in crimes such as hijackings, robberies and rapes.
Owners must past the test as well
Nqakula also believes there are registered owners who abuse their firearms and use them in domestic arguments, for example.
From July onwards, owners will have to re-apply for firearm licences, but the process willbe handled in stages.
The previous firearm-control act focused only on the registration of firearms, but now the owner also will be registered and his or her capability to own and handle the firearm will be considered vital to the registration process.
The new act stipulated also that owners could license only one firearm for self-defence and not a whole "arsenal", said Nqakula.
"There are some people who want to walk around like cowboys with a firearm on each hip," he said.
"They don't understand that they are endangering themselves as criminals can easily grab the firearm, shoot the owner and then use the weapon for other crimes."
Asked about firearm abuse by police, Nqakula said it was clear police could use firearms only if their own lives or those of others were in danger.
"If someone's running away, the police cannot just shoot," he said.
"However, in cases where there is a clear and present danger, such as when someone is busy pulling a firearm, I have instructed the police to protect themselves."
DA says there's still confusion
Likewise, members of the public who shot without a valid reason also could be prosecuted, said Nqakula.
"If you wake up and see someone in your house, you cannot just let rip," he said. "You must first warn the person or be very certain he's endangering someone's life."
The Democratic Alliance feels, however, that there is still much confusion about the act.
This is apart from a backlog of 60 000 in firearm applications, the training of police and a lack of transparency and responsibility in the licensing process.
Send e-mail to asmith2@dieburger.com
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