09/06/2000

REVISED DRAFT - FIREARMS CONTROL BILL B34-2000

As one of the alleged only 2000 people, who have already made a submission in December 1999, (see http://users.iafrica.com/j/ja/jarzul/Submission.htm) I hereby wish to make yet another submission. Hopefully this time it might both be read and taken into account.

There is no room here to debate the entire controversial Bill, so I shall concentrate only on some major issues, which are felt as utterly unacceptable:

It is with great concern that we see this government continuing to press on with this new Firearm Control Bill which is nothing more than a bad solution to a problem that does NOT exist. The real problem is the persistent dwindling of moral values and the uncontrollable rise in criminality. The Police, the Judiciary and the Penitentiary systems are short of the funds this Bill is only too happy to propose to waste. The enormous cost of the Bill so far (curiously funded in a great part by an interfering foreign country) is simply ridiculous. Had the drafters come up with a good piece of legislation, clearly it would not have taken in excess of three years and 54 re-writes to come up with such a flawed, unconstitutional, controversial and unenforceable document. The projected extravagant cost-estimates of attempting to implement / police the Bill are financially crippling. The millions of Rand would be much better spent on giving the Police, the courts and the prisons the funds they desperately need, so that the crime epidemic would at last be addressed.

We notice amelioration since earlier versions of the Bill and for that we are grateful. On the other hand, despite innumerable warnings voiced by wise and experienced people both in the firearm industry as well as in the legal gun owners' vast and responsible groups it seems that the legislators still insist on their ways. Yet, it is clear to so many that the proposed Bill will in effect achieve the very opposite of its claimed purpose. Cosmetic changes will not make this Bill acceptable when it curtails the freedom of the law abiding community and favours the criminal.

Our previous letters to both Mr. Mbeki and to Mr. Tshwete were ignored. All representations from learned people that argued against the Bill on grounds ranging from historical to financial, from religious to sporting, from hunting to tourism and even moral ones have had little or no effect. Why ? Is there a lugubrious and ominous plan to easily eradicate any possible forceful citizenry objecting to a new form of slavery ? Please bear in mind that it is thought that a Government that does not trust its citizens with their arms should not be trusted with its power…

If enforced, as it stands, the old Firearm Act of 1969 is a perfectly workable piece of legislation that arguably may need some updating. To this end we respectfully propose consultation with all stake--holders to be taken into account as we are not prepared to negotiate a legislation that infringes on the constitutional rights of the citizens of this land.

We also wish to formally reiterate our request for the opportunity for verbal presentation.

In 1969 I became a founder member or the Stellenbosch Shooting Club. Today I still serve in that club in both the capacities of treasurer and chairman. I have been a NaFTA instructor for years. I am also a founder member of both SAGA and earlier on of the SAAADA. I own a gun shop since 1974 where I do all gunsmithing. I have published on the Internet a training course pertaining to the use of handguns which is receiving both local (NaFTA as well as SAQA) and international interest. The proposed Bill is likely to make my very "raison d'être" a thing of the past in this country.

In this superb part of the world, my Belgian dentist wife has been denied the right to earn a living, in her qualified capacity, for the last eight years. We would find it intolerable if, by the implementation of this Bill, I too were denied to continue with my profession. Perhaps yet another family leaving South Africa is not so significant. It could be seen as only yet another family of highly qualified people also leaving the country. But we also foresee the tragic likelihood of further and colossal exits from South Africa of much needed skilled people, who are the goose procuring golden eggs of employment, as well as the very real possibility of massive civil disobedience. (See: http://www.lufa.ca/) One can only expect an uncontrollable further flare up of criminal attacks on law-abiding disarmed citizens and ultimately, this Bill might well be the final drop of water leading to yet another grotesque replay of the African saga. Most of us have read the book and have no desire to see the movie!

May we respectfully express our opinion that the best thing that could happen to this Bill is it to be thrown into the sea. That would be a Godsend to South Africa in general and to the legal firearm owners in particular. Too bad that it would be a catastrophe for both the criminals and the fish life.

JJ Arzul