Firearms voluntarily surrendered to or forfeited to the state will be destroyed by the end of the month, the national police commissioner has advised.
“I hereby give notice that the state intends to destroy all firearms, ammunition, as well as firearm parts, listed on the SAPS website that were surrendered to the state,” General Khehla Sitole said.
Although the destruction of the firearms and munitions was inevitable, affected owners have until 27 March to indicate if they do not want them destroyed.
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Sitole issued the notice in the Government Gazette on 6 March indicating that owners petition him in accordance with the powers vested in him by the firearms control act to prevent the destruction of their firearms.
“The representations must contain complete information of the firearms, ammunition and firearm parts and the police station where they were surrendered or forfeited,” he said.
The national hunting and shooting association (Nashoot) urged its members to ascertain that the firearms handed in to the police for safekeeping were not on the list for destruction.
“If your firearm is on the list, and you don’t want it destroyed because it is with the SAPS for safekeeping, you may direct written representation to the central firearms registrar explaining why you would not want to have the firearm destroyed and why you would want it back,” Nashoot wrote on its newsletter.
It noted that firearms handed over after June 2018 could be returned to owners.
“You may ask for your firearm back if it was handed in with SAPS after the constitutional court decision of 7 June 2018.”
Pretoria North police spokesperson Captain Rebecca Phatlane advised members of the public to hand in firearms of deceased or elderly family members in at their nearest police station.
Family members interested in keeping the firearm were required to apply, said Phatlane.
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