Nuwe amnestieperiode vir vuurwapen-eienaars op die kaarte / Possible new amnesty period for firearm owners

Uit ‘n parlementêre vraag gister aan die minister van polisie, Bheki Cele, of hy dit sal oorweeg om ‘n verdere amnestietydperk toe te staan vir die indiening van vuurwapens, het die minister gesê so ‘n versoek is “billik”.

Min. Cele het gesê die tweede en laaste amnestie-periode is erg ontwrig en dat baie vuurwapen-eienaars daardeur geraak is. Hy het gesê daar is steeds baie “papierwerk” rondom die vorige amnestieperiode wat op 31 Januarie vanjaar verstryk het, wat steeds nie afgehandel is nie. Die warboel in die administrasieproses rondom die afhandeling van aansoeke om die hernuwing van vuurwapenlisensies, het twee weke gelede duidelik geblyk uit ‘n parlementêre ondersoek na die aangeleentheid.

Die nasionale polisiekommissaris, genl. Khehla Sitole, en sy span generaals, was nie eens in staat om aan die portefeuljekomitee oor polisie te sê hoeveel vuurwapens in die laaste amnestieperiode ingehandig is nie. Die komitee het daarop aan die minister geskryf oor probleme rondom die amnestiesyfers, asook die onvermoë van die polisie om die groot agterstande by die Sentrale Vuurwapenregister uit te wis rakende die duisende lisensie-aansoeke van vuurwapen-eienaars wie se lisensies verval het.

Die hoë misdaadsyfer in Suid-Afrika, veral wat geweldsmisdade aanbetref, is ontstellend en dit sal onbillik wees om wetsgehoorsame burgers te ontwapen ten koste van misdadigers wat gewis nie hul vuurwapens sal inhandig nie, ongeag enige amnestie. Van die probleme wat algemeen voorgekom het, was ‘n tekort aan voorgeskrewe vorms en aan polisie-personeel om die werk te doen. Gegewe die aanslag teen boere, is dit veral belangrik dat hulle ‘n behoorlike en billike geleentheid gegun word om hul lisensies te hernu.

Die VF Plus vind die minister se antwoord bemoedigend, maar is van mening dat hy geen ander keuse het nie gegewe die onbevoegde wyse waarop die polisie die amnestie-proses hanteer het.

Mediaverklaring uitgereik deur: Dr. Pieter Groenewald (VF Plus-leier)

Vuurwapen Amnestie | Firearm Amnesty

Following a parliamentary question posed to the minister of police, Bheki Cele, he indicated that a request for another amnesty period might be reasonable.

The minister said that the last amnesty period was severely disrupted affecting firearm owners  negatively. He mentioned that there is still a lot of outstanding paperwork relating to the last amnesty period, which expired on the 31st of January. The confusion relating to the administration process in concluding the renewal and application of firearm licenses was clear following a parliamentary investigation two weeks ago.

The national police commissioner, Gen. Kehla Sitole and his team of generals could not account for the amount of firearms handed in during the last amnesty period. The committee wrote a letter to the minister regarding the problems, inaccurate numbers and the police’s inability to erase the backlog of thousands of pending firearm license applications from owners whose licenses have expired.

The high crime statistics, especially violent crime, is alarming and it would be unreasonable to disarm law abiding citizens of their weapons, whilst criminals don’t hand in their weapons in spite of the amnesty. A general problem was the lack of prescribed forms and staff. Considering the current attacks on farmers it is important to afford them reasonable access and time to renew their licenses.

The Freedom Front Plus found the ministers answer encouraging but in the same breath feels that he does not really have a choice, considering the incompetent manner in which the amnesty process is being dealt with.

Press release issued by Dr. Pieter Groenewald (VF Plus-leier) and translated to English by Leon Joubert of ShowMe Vaal