Gun registration talks continue

2009-08-11 20:04

Parliament - The Freedom Front Plus says talks continue with Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa about allowing firearm owners who failed to re-register their weapons earlier this year an opportunity to do so.

In terms of the Firearms Control Act, gun owners had until March 31 this year to re-register, but the deadline was later extended to June 30.
FF+ spokesperson Pieter Groenewald said there were "serious problems" with the re-registration process.

Written responses his party had received from the minister, in reply to parliamentary questions it had posed, indicated 881 136 applications for the renewal of firearm licenses had been received by February this year.

"If the 125 716 voluntarily submitted firearms are added to this figure, the total adds up to one million (1 006 852) firearms.

"If it is taken into account that there are nearly four million legal firearm owners in South Africa, there are still three million firearms for which applications for re-registration of firearms still have to be submitted.

"This figure shows that the minister will have to allow further re-registration of firearms. The Freedom Front Plus is already busy with talks with the minister about this," Groenewald said.

Contacted for comment, ministry spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed talks were underway.

- SAPA