Hundreds of thousands of gun owners need to get rid of their weapons
The Constitutional Court has set aside a court ruling which
found certain sections of the Firearms Control Act unconstitutional.
Hundreds of thousands of gun owners who failed to renew their firearm licences on time will have to get rid of their guns or hand them over to police.
The Constitutional Court on Thursday supported an appeal by the police minister to dismiss a high court judgement, which declared sections 24 and 28 of the Act constitutionally invalid.
The two sections require gun owners to renew their licenses.
Police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo says SAPS welcomes the decision by the court.
Naidoo added that gun owners who have not renewed their firearm licenses must hand it in or it will be considered illegal.
The police service also assured gun owners who hand in their firearms voluntarily will not be prosecuted.
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