Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety
Minister Plato welcomes National Firearms Amnesty period
Date: 15 March 2017
Release: Immediate
I welcome in principle the National Firearms Amnesty period announced today by the National Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, during a Portfolio Committee meeting in National Parliament.
A Firearm Amnesty was one of the recommendations the Western Cape Government made in 2015 to the Civilian Secretariat of Police, to help reduce the circulation of illegally owned firearms and encourage people to hand in their unwanted legal weapons.
However, people in the Western Cape and the rest of the country need to be assured about the operational readiness of the Police to effectively manage a Firearm Amnesty.
Key to the operational implementation of the amnesty period is to ensure that weapons and ammunition handed over are traceable, disabled and prevented from being used again or finding their way back into criminal hands.
The Western Cape has a serious gun problem which needs to be addressed if we are to reduce the high murder rate in the province, reduce violent crime and disarm the criminals, gangsters and druglords who continue to hold our communities hostage.
As part of my oversight mandate over policing in the Western Cape, I will be requesting further details on the amnesty period from the National Minister of Police, Acting National Commissioner and Provincial Commissioner.
My request for details will include:
The Firearm Amnesty period, running from 1 April 2017 to 30 September 2017, is a great opportunity to reduce the number of illegal firearms in circulation and to prevent unnecessary deaths at the hands of those who should not be able to have a weapon in the first , or who do not comply with the prescripts of owning a firearm.
The Amnesty period is a necessary step in the right direction towards reducing the proliferation of gun related crim in the country, especially in the Western Cape. The Firearms Control Act (FCA) is an innovative and comprehensive piece of legislation, which, if implemented correctly, can further contribute to this objective.
Other recommendations which the Department of Community Safety made in 2015, and which we will be following up with the Minister of Police, include:
I urge communities to support the South African Police Service (SAPS) in their attempt to rid our streets of the guns that continue to wreak havoc in the hands of gangsters and druglords.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility and the Department of Community Safety will support the drive to get the guns off of our streets.
Ewald Botha, Spokesperson for Minister Plato
Cell: 079 694 1113