On 8 September 2020, the state attorney informed SA Hunters of the intention by the SA Police to recall a 2009 High Court interdict that maintained the validity of the old green firearm licence.
The state attorney believes that firearm owners with old green licences had more than ample opportunity during three amnesty periods to replace these licences without any legal consequences. The present amnesty period is the last one of the three referred to.
The state attorney suggests that SA Hunters withdraw the main application of 2009 and support the recall of the 2009 interdict. The Board of SA Hunters was expecting this and already advised affected members to obtain their firearm competency certificates and apply for new licences to replace the old green licence.
There are obviously members of the public who would be in exactly the same situation as SA Hunters members that still rely on the old green licences and that would be affected if the interdict is recalled.
The Board of SA Hunters has started deliberation with our legal team on managing the matter.
To the best information available there are approximately 670 000 old green licences that may still be valid and in use. SA Hunters does not believe it is feasible to use the current amnesty for firearm owners to surrender their firearms to the SAPS and reapply for new licences.
There are about 100 working days left of the current amnesty period. It could mean that at least 6700 firearms would be handed in at police stations per day. This is over and above the nearly 3 000 firearms per day of which the white licences had expired and that also have to be handed in. “Another practical solution would have to be found,’ said Fred Camphor, CEO of SA Hunters.
SA Hunters will work with interest groups in the firearm-owner community and will consult with other interested parties and individuals towards finding a solution. SA Hunters requests interested groups and individuals to contact SA Hunters to enable broad consultation.
SA Hunters will keep the public informed of further developments.
SAPD wil ou groen vuurwapenlisensies ongeldig verklaar
Die staatsprokureur het SA Jagters op 8 September 2020 skriftelik in kennis gestel dat hulle voorneme is om die hofinterdik van Junie 2009, wat die ou groen vuurwapenlisensies geldig gehou het, te herroep.
Die staatsprokureur is van mening dat vuurwapeneienaars met ou groen lisensies meer as genoeg geleentheid gehad om hul lisensie te hernu gedurende drie geleenthede waar amnestie aangebied is. Die huidige amnestietydperk is die laaste van die drie waarna hy verwys.
Verder stel die staatsprokureur voor dat SA Jagters die hoofaansoek van 2009 onttrek en instem om die interdik van 2009 te herroep. Die Raad van SA Jagters was hierdie stap te wagte en het sy lede reeds vooraf gemaan om solank bevoegdheid te bekom om aansoek te doen vir nuwe lisensies om die ou groen lisensies te vervang.
Daar is uiteraard ook heelparty lede van die publiek wat steeds staatmaak op die ou groen vuurwapenlisensies en wat in presies dieselfde omstandighede as lede van SA Jagters sal wees indien die staat wel die interdik herroep.
Die Raad van SA Jagters het reeds in gesprek getree met sy regspan om te besluit hoe om hierdie saak vorentoe te bestuur.
Na die beste inligting beskikbaar is daar ongeveer 670 000 ou groen lisensies wat nog geldig kan wees. SA Jagters dink nie dit is haalbaar om die huidige amnestie te gebruik om hierdie wapens in te handig en vir nuwe lisensies aansoek te doen nie.
In die ongeveer 100 werksdae wat oor is van die amnestietydperk beteken dit dat minstens 6 700 wapens per dag by die polisie ingehandig moet word. Dit is bo en behalwe die naastenby 3 000 wapens per dag waarvan die wit lisensies verval het wat ook in hierdie tydperk ingehandig moet word. ’n Ander werkbare oplossing sal gevind moet word.
SA Jagters sal saam met ander belangegroepe in die vuurwapeneienaargemeenskap werk en waar nodig met ander groepe en individue konsulteer om oplossings te vind. SA Jagters versoek belangegroepe en lede van die publiek om SA Jagters te nader sodat ons so wyd moontlik kan konsulteer.
ʼn Kopie van die Staatsprokureur se brief is op versoek beskikbaar.
SA Jagters sal lede en die publiek ingelig hou soos hierdie proses vorentoe ontwikkel.
