Hand in unwanted, illegal firearms until March 31
Community at large reminded about Amnesty Month.
Maj Gen Vincent Leshabane, from the Office of the District Commissioner, would like to wish members of the public a prosperous 2020 and also remind them that the coming six months are firearm amnesty months.
Firearm amnesty means an indemnity against prosecution for the unlawful possession of a firearm. The firearm amnesty period provides an opportunity for members of the community to surrender unwanted firearms and ammunition, firearms possessed unlawfully, as well as firearm parts to the SAPS without fear of being prosecuted for the unlawful possession thereof.
The amnesty period commenced on December 1, December 2019 and will end on May 31, 2020.
Capt Nelda Sekgobela, Ekurhuleni district communications officer, said firearms that people unlawfully have in their possession, unwanted firearms, unregistered firearms, firearm parts and ammunition may be surrended during the period of amnesty.
“Unwanted firearm relates to firearms that are lawfully in someone ‘s possession, but their owners no longer need or require them, firearms that are unsafe to use, or in a poor state, firearms that were inherited from a deceased person, and a person is not interested in keeping it, firearms that were left behind by the previous owner of the property and were found on such property.
“Illegal firearm is any firearm or firearm part which is not licensed and possessed in accordance with the firearm control Act, 2000 (Act no 60 of 2000). “Illegal firearm include a firearm or firearm part that is not registered to the current owner, does not have a serial number or is possessed by a person who doesn’t have a license for that firearm,” said Sekgobela.
The firearm Amnesty also allows persons whose firearm licenses have expired to surrender such firearms without facing prosecution. The firearms control Act, 2000 (Act no 60 of 2000) further allows the person to surrender a firearm, to apply for a license for such a firearm in terms of section 39 (4) (a) of the act.
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