Govt extends public participation on Firearms Control Amendment Bill

The police ministry says since it gazetted the high-profile bill in May, it has received over 100 000 written submissions from the public.

"The comments received by and large oppose the repeal of the provisions pertaining to Self-defence, the collectors of firearms and ammunition, private collectors, the reloading of ammunition, the restrictions on the number of firearms and ammunition that sport shooters and hunters may possess and the reduction in the licensing period," says his spokesperson Lirandzu Themba

 The amendment bill replaces the Firearms Control Amendment Bill 2015. 

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The new extension will end on August 2. 

"This decision follows the Civilian Secretariat Police Service received a number of requests for information with a particular interest in the Witwatersrand School of Governance, 2015 and the Firearms Committee 2016 Research reports, which formed the basis of the amendments.

"In the spirit of fairness and transparency, a decision was taken to make these Research reports available and afford all members of the public an opportunity to have proper insight into the reports and provide informed comments when contributing to the strengthening of the bill," added Themba.

The proposed bill has come under fire in some quarters, with some railing against the proposed ban on firearm ownership for self-defence.