This weekend marks the final weekend of the national amnesty with the window closing on Sunday, 31 January.
The firearm amnesty was initially meant to expire on 31 May 2020 but due to the ongoing health panic, the amnesty was extended until the end of January. All local police stations have a dedicated office set up to handle the processing of illegal firearms, but the processing time means that only a limited amount of surrenders can be accepted in one day.
The dedicated firearm amnesty office is open everyday from 8am until 6pm for the final days of the amnesty. Anyone arriving at any station will be screened, and Roodepoort Police Station has enlisted the services of Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department to assist with the screening process. Those taking advantage of the amnesty are asked to bring a copy of their ID and a pen to ensure that pens are not shared among the general public.
“We will be enforcing social distancing strictly. Those in the queue must maintain a space of 1,5 metres while also wearing their masks at all times,” said Roodepoort Police spokesperson, Captain Juanita Yorke.
The Firearm Amnesty envisages to see a reduced number of illegally possessed firearms in circulation in the country, and it must be noted that no indemnity will be granted for firearms used to commit any crime.
