Firearm amnesty hindered by lockdown

WITH the last two months of the sixmonth firearm amnesty period falling under the national lockdown, many firearm owners were eager to know whether or not the amnesty period would be extended.

On Wednesday last week, the Select Committee on Security and Justice received a request from the SAPS for a new six-month firearm amnesty from August this year.

According to the committee, the SAPS had said that 27 336 firearms had been surrendered during the amnesty period, which was less than the number of firearms surrendered during the 2005 amnesty period, which was also six months.

Last month, the final month of that amnesty period, more than 11 000 firearms were surrendered, including illegal firearms and those voluntarily surrendered.

The SAPS told the committee that the lockdown restrictions on movement were one of the reasons why many firearm owners could not participate in the amnesty.

In addition, they had received more than 10 000 applications for firearms, still awaiting completion.

The committee heard that granting another amnesty period would afford communities another opportunity to surrender illegal and unwanted firearms and/or ammunition.

It was believed that another amnesty would be in the interests of the public since many people had shown a willingness to participate.

Committee chairperson Shahidabibi Shaikh said the committee would not yet take a decision on the request, as an updated notice for the amnesty would have to be made to Parliament by the SAPS, as in the current one the dates were amended.

Shaikh said that as soon as the updated notice was sent to Parliament, the committee would process the matter.

In Durban, a man says he was sent from pillar to post when he tried to hand in his firearm prior to the lockdown

The resident, who did not want to be named, said he initially went to the Phoenix police station on March 19 to hand in his firearm because his licence had expired and to apply for a new licence, but because the officer in charge was not there, he was told to return.

A week later the lockdown kicked in, and despite several attempts over the weeks, he is still trying to hand in his weapon.