No amnesty for 'expired' gun owners, say police
Police maintain that any person in possession of an expired gun licence - should hand it over voluntarily or face criminal prosecution.
Gun owners who thought that their licences have a lifeline of a lifetime thought wrong.
If found in possession of an unlicensed firearm, the holder will be subjected to criminal sanctions.
This follows the ruling by the Constitutional Court that confirmed the Firearms Control Act of 2000 is lawful and that it is a privilege to own a gun, rather than a fundamental right.
"It is an offence to possess a firearm without a licence obtained in terms of the act. Once one has obtained a licence, one needs to renew it at least 90 days before the date of expiry," held Justice Johan Froneman.
Gun organisations say around 400 000 are now regarded as illegal gun owners following the judgement on Thursday.
However, police reiterated that no period exists where gun owners will be allowed to re-apply for a licence and not forfeit their firearm.
Police usually destroys unregistered firearms.
"It is totally unfair. This judgement unfortunately have put the cat amount the pigeons. If the police had to arrest 400 000 people, putting them in police cells, confiscating their firearms - that is going to be horrendous atrocity being committed," is the reaction of Gun Owners Association chairperson, advocate John Welch.
Gun Free SA believes the South African Police Service (SAPS) needs to outline the process forward and give gun owners a grace period to re-apply for their licences.
"The most reasonable way is to give an amnesty period for existing gun owners who have failed to comply with the law, to either bring themselves under the new law or to hand it in. This state has to provide guidance on this," says chairperson Adèle Kirsten.