Cops consider gun amnesty
2003-06-03 15:10
Johannesburg - Police are considering setting up a general amnesty for people who want to hand over guns to authorities, national police commissioner Jackie Selebi said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a justice, crime prevention and security cluster meeting in Johannesburg, he said he would discuss that idea with Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula.
"I will advise the minister to consider this so that those who have guns and do not need hand them over to the police."
The exercise would not be a blanket amnesty and police would check to see if a gun was used in the committing of a crime.
Selebi said in the last two months police conducted inspections at security firms, businesses and private homes.
"We were startled to find one person owning about 400 guns and another over 600," he said.
"What is more shocking is finding out that some security companies do not know how many guns they have."
Selebi said if the amnesty was granted, police would be able to ensure those who had inherited guns and were afraid of prosecution come forward to hand them over to authorities.
Currently, there were more than 150 000 people who had inherited guns.
- SAPA