Police Committee comments on letters from gun owners on dated internal departmental Fire-Arms Amendment Document from civilian secretariat of police

17 October 2018

Parliament, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 –The Portfolio Committee on Police  has not received any formal referral with regard to the Fire-Arms Amendment Bill from the Executive that relates to private firearm ownership.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Francois Beukman reacted this afternoon after various stakeholders directed letters to the committee with regard to a dated internal departmental draft document proposing certain amendments to the current fire-arm legislation.

Mr Beukman said that the departmental processes with regard to the Fire-Arms Amendment Bill are still underway and no referral was tabled in Parliament.

“The only draft legislation that is before the committee is a Private Members Bill from Mr Pieter Groenewald that proposes certain technical amendments to the Fire-Arms Amendment Bill,” Mr Beukman clarified. 

Interest groups and gun-owners must await the formal publishing of the draft legislation once it is finalised by the Department and Cabinet.

"It is indeed premature and not correct to over react to a dated internal document without formal status and without approval by the Executive," Mr Beukman said. 

The committee will await the formal tabling of the said legislation. Mr Beukman said once the Firearms Amendment Bill is tabled all relevant parties will be given the necessary opportunity for input.  

Issued by Malatswa Molepo, Parliamentary Communication Services, 17 October 2018