The Constitutional court ruling with regard to firearm licences has left such owners despondent.
“In terms of section 24 and section 03 of the Firearms Control Act (No; 60 of 2000), any person who has failed to renew their firearm licence/s within 90 days of expiring, will be will be declared to be unlawfully possessing a firearm, and will be required to surrender all such firearms and ammunition at their nearest police station, without fear of being prosecuted,” said Colonel Moashe Ngoepe.
Read: What you need to know about surrendering your firearm if your licence has expired
A plan to streamline the surrender process has been implemented, and the public are advised to take note of the following:
* No Police Station must send any person away who wants to surrender their firearms.
* All firearms with the expired licences must be handed in for destruction.
* All Police Stations have all the necessary resources to deal with surrendered firearms and ammunition.
* Firearms will not be held for more than 24 hours at the Police Stations.
* All firearms handed in will be processed at a designated place to minimise all the risks.
* All firearms owners will be provided with a receipt that reflects the Occurrence (OB) Book entry and SAPS 13. number.
* Consolidated report to be sent to the Saps Provincial office before 8:00 every day.
* Please take note that the Green Licence, that was not migrated to the White Licence, is still valid but those who migrated from Green to White licence, cannot use the Green Licence as a valid
licence for the firearm, as it stops to exist with the issuing of the White Licence.
* No compensation can be paid for illegal Firearms, and illegal Firearms cannot be legalised or handed over to the dealer.
* The only way to get rid of the firearm, is to Surrender it to the Police for destruction.
* It is the contravention of the Firearm Control Act when you damage, destroy or hand over the firearm to the Police in pieces.
* If anyone encounters any form of problem with regard to this process, the Station Commanders are there as sole custodian of this project.
All the Saps doors are open, from the Station Commanders, Cluster Commanders and the Provincial Office,to assist anyone with this process.
The Saps Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers has appealed to all members of the community in Limpopo Province, to comply fully with this judgement without fail as, Nthose who will later be found in possession of firearm licenses that have expired, and still possessing those firearms, are going to be dealt accordingly in terms oft his Act and without compromise.
