Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Media statements | Safety Media statements

AfriForum concerned that ‘wrong’ firearms could be destroyed

By 19/05/202003/11/2020

AfriForum is concerned that firearms handed in during the amnesty period for safe-keeping while owners apply for their licences, could be accidentally destroyed. Firearm owners who are making use of the amnesty period to re-apply for licences, are cautioned to make sure their weapons don’t appear on the list of weapons earmarked to be destroyed.

This follows after gen. Khehla Sitole, the National Police Commissioner, confirmed in a notice in the Government Gazette of 13 May 2020 that weapons, ammunition and parts that are handed in voluntarily or declared forfeited to the state, will be destroyed. According to the SAPS website, such firearms, ammunition and parts will be destroyed on 25 June 2020.

Under the firearms amnesty period that will apply until 31 May 2020, firearm owners who want to dispose of their firearms can hand in their weapons at their nearest police station. It includes unlicensed firearms and such owners will not be prosecuted for the possession of an unlicensed firearm. Owners who are making use of the amnesty period can apply for a licence within 14 days of handing in the firearm. The weapon will be kept by die SAPS while the application is reviewed. Should the application be successful, the owner can then collect the weapon.

Firearm owners who will be affected by this, are requested to visit https://www.saps.gov.za/resourcecentre/notices/notices.php to confirm that the weapons they are applying for aren’t included in the list of weapons to be destroyed. If a weapon is erroneously listed, the prospective owner should send an email to XabaSl@saps.gov.za within 21 days (calculated from 13 May 2020) and inform the SAPS.

“It is an enormous inconvenience – especially during this time – to apply for a firearm licence. It will be regrettable if someone followed the process of applying for a firearm, paid the fees and did all the administration to get a licence, only to find out later that the firearm had accidentally been destroyed. People who could be affected by this should keep the SAPS responsible for the accuracy of the list. AfriForum will observe the process,” says Marnus Kamfer, AfriForum’s Legal and Risk Manager for Community Safety.