One of the cars in a convoy that drove around the Samrand to Woodmead area yesterday, 23 June 2021. The convoy was in protest against the Firearms Control Ammendment Bill that is being proposed in which Self Defence will not be a valid reason for owning a firearm anymore amongst many other things that are rejected by firearms owners. The public has until to 5 July to make representations against the proposed bill. Picture: Neil McCartney
South African gun owners are rejecting proposed amendments to the Firearms Control Act, which among other things, seeks to outlaw gun ownership for self-defence, restrict the types of firearms that security companies can use, and limit sports shooting and hunting firearms
In a letter addressed to President Cyril Ramphosa, SA Gun Owners Association Chairperson Damian Enslin said: “Our plea to you is that the draconian Firearms Control Amendment Bill, 2021 be withdrawn.”
The Bill, if passed, also severely restricts the possession and collection of ammunition.
Enslin said that last week’s insurrection in parts of Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng has damaged South Africa’s international image and left malls, shops, factories, warehouses, and other infrastructure in ruins.
“This has resulted in thousands of honest, hard-working people losing their jobs, their livelihoods and income, leaving them and their families and dependants destitute,” he said.
The Association also criticized the intelligence community, saying they “failed in their task of gathering intelligence that would have prevented this catastrophe from happening.”
Enslin also pointed out that the South African Police Service, whose constitutional mandate is to protect the country and its citizens, were outnumbered and overstretched during the riots.
Police hopelessly outnumbered as mob approaches
During an interview last month, Ramaphosa reportedly supported the notion of gun ownership for self-defence purposes.
“In SAGA’s view, had it not been for law-abiding and ordinary citizens defending the lives and property of others, using the very firearms that the Firearms Control Amendment Bill 2021 seeks to take away, the situation would have been very different.”
The Association is also of the view that South African gun owners not only protected civilians last week, but they’re now “a guarantee against those who would wish to overthrow a democratically elected government by force and mayhem.”
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