ATC200626: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the application for a Firearm Amnesty declaration, dated 26 June 2020.

Police

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the application for a Firearm Amnesty declaration, dated 26 June 2020.
 

The Portfolio Committee on Police, having considered the notice from the Speaker of the National Assembly, that was referred to it on 26 May 2020 (ATC No. 60-2020) and 4 June 2020 (ATC No. 67 - 2020) for a declaration of a Firearm Amnesty in terms of section 139(2)(a) of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000), reports as follows:

The Portfolio Committee on Police met on 27 May 2020 to consider the request for the amnesty (ATC No. 60-2020). The Committee raised problems with the draft notice in which the members questioned the dates set down for the amnesty. The Committee had further questions for the SAPS and proposed that it returns with answers to its questions before finalising the amnesty.

The Committee had a second meeting on the 3 June 2020 where the Minister of Police announced that the dates of the proposed amnesty was changed in the draft notice from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. In addition, the SAPS was satisfied that some of the police 46 stations that were not on the annexure of stations in the 2019 amnesty, had complied in terms of risk assessments that were conducted. Consequently, the only 28 stations were listed in the new amnesty notice.

The Committee however noted that the matter of the new draft notice was not officially referred to it by the Speaker for it to consider.

The Speaker officially referred the new draft notice for a firearms amnesty to the Committee on 4 June 2020 (ATC No. 67-2020) for consideration and report. The Committee met on 11 June 2020, to consider the application for a new firearms amnesty.   

All the necessary documents were made available to the Committee Members and based thereon, the Committee was satisfied and approved the Minister’s request for anew amnesty period from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021.

The Democratic Alliance, while not opposed to the Firearms Amnesty in principle, has reserved its rights with regard to the report.

The Freedom Front Plus noted its objection to the decision to approve the amnesty on the basis that the draft notice was not acceptable and not in keeping with the Firearms Control Act.

 

Report to be considered