No legal guns sold since July

2004-09-27 23:02

Lizel Steenkamp

Johannesburg - Up to 100 000 people in the professional hunting and weapons industry stand to lose their jobs because of the "catastrophic" consequences of the new Firearms Control Act, introduced on July 1.

Industry experts said not one legal firearm had been sold in South Africa in the past two months and proficiency certificates (which are called for under the new law) have been issued to only eight people in this time.

Meanwhile, the head of the firearm registration office in Gauteng, said the central firearm registry in Pretoria had turned down more than 80% of all licence applications in the past few months.

Sources also told Beeld on Monday that 12 000 appeals, lodged by people whose applications had been turned down, were gathering dust in Pretoria as the independent appeal board has not been operational since May 1.

Staring bankruptcy in the face

Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula has failed to appoint a new chairperson after the previous one's contract expired.

According to Alex Holmes, chairperson of the South African Arms and Ammunition Dealers Association, five retailers have gone bankrupt, as no legal weapons have been sold in the country since July 1.

He said that prior to this, up to 15 000 weapons were sold each month.

"It's now a round nil. The only way we survive is by selling small amounts of ammunition and equipment."

Hennie Richards of Poslec-Seta, said that only eight proficiency certificates had been issued since July 1.

"It is catastrophic. We are all going to go bankrupt - up to 15 000 in the industry can lose their jobs," said Holmes.

Gary Davies of the hunting association said that up to 80 000 people in the industry were under threat of losing their jobs.

He said about 10 000 foreign hunters visited South Africa annually.

These people are now forced to fill out lengthy documents at the airport and the firearms of many have been confiscated, as they did not comply with the new legislation.

"Up to 55% of hunters are from the United States where firearm legislation is virtually absent.

"The new law is putting a lot of pressure on our industry, because hunters feel it is now too difficult to bring weapons in.

"It is going to have a big impact on the next hunting season," he said, adding that only next year would they know exactly how many hunters had decided to go elsewhere.

99% of applications turned down

Meanwhile, thousands of Black Gun Owners' Association members are expected to converge on Nqakula's offices in Pretoria on Tuesday - 99% of their applications for licenses have been turned down in the past few months.

Leslie Xinwa, Nqakula's spokesperson, said that interviews for the appeal board position would be conducted on Friday.

He said he was aware there was a backlog of more than 10 000 appeals. To clear this, "the new appeal board will just have to sit every day for the next six months", he said.

- Beeld