Last chance for illegal gun owners
Richard Mantu
28 June 2005
South Africans who possess illegal firearms or ammunition have until the end of June to hand these over to the police without fear of prosecution.
The amnesty, that began on 1 January and ends on 30 June, is not on offer to those who possess firearms that have been used in criminal activities.
So far, more than 70 000 firearms have been handed over to the police since the campaign started.
"We are not only targeting illegal firearms, we are also targeting legal firearms that the owners feel they do not want anymore - they are more than welcome to hand them over," said police spokesperson Phuti Setati.
"Removing one illegal firearm from the community, especially from the wrong hands, is something that we appreciate a lot."
All retrieved firearms and ammunition will be destroyed.
Immediately after the amnesty, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula has warned, the police plan to intensify their operations to recover
illegal firearms and ammunition. "Institutions and individuals found in possession of such firearms or ammunition will be dealt with harshly in terms of the law", he said.
South Africa's penalties for illegal possession of firearms are very steep, including sentences that can extend to 25 years in jail.
"It should also be emphasised that any persons that know of individuals or organisations illegally possessing firearms, ammunitions or caches, and fail to report this, are liable to prosecution", Nqakula added. "It is in their own interest to share such information with the police."
The SA Police Service (SAPS) has campaigned actively over the past two years to curb the proliferation of firearms in South Africa.
According to the SAPS's latest annual report, almost 26 000 illegal firearms and about 1.7-million rounds of ammunition were confiscated in 2003-04, accompanied by almost 6 000 arrests for the illegal possession of firearms or ammunition. During the
same period, a total of 87 097 firearms were destroyed.
Source: BuaNews
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