BELANGRIKE KENNISGEWING! HERNUWING VAN VUURWAPENLISENSIES
16-Nov-2015 12 November 2015 INTERNE OMSENDBRIEF 10/2015 / INTERNAL CIRCULAR 10/2015 DRINGEND!!!/URGENT!!!
INSAKE: HERNUWING VAN VUURWAPEN LISENSIES INGEVOLGE AFDELING 24 VAN DIE WET OP DIE BEHEER VAN VUURWAPENS (WET 60 VAN 2000) LAAT HERNUWING VAN VUURWAPENLISENSIES (tydens of na die verstryking van 90 dae voor die vervaldatum)
Na herhaalde navrae in die verband, het ons gister ( 11 November 2015) vir die eerste keer insae gehad in die SAPD se riglyne ten opsigte van die hantering van laat hernuwings van vuurwapenlisensies. Hierdie riglyne is reeds op 21 Augustus 2015 aan die bevelstruktuur binne die SAPD gesirkuleer en dit laat ons wonder waarom ons nou eers daarin insae kry? Klaarblyklik is daar reeds baie onverwerkte “laat” hernuwingsaansoeke wat landswyd betrokke is.
Hierdie skrywe deur Gen Maj M M Motlhala stel die volgende riglyne:
Ingevolge Artikel 24 van die Wet op die Beheer van Vuurwapens (Wet 60 van 2000), moet vuurwapenlisensies ten minste 90 dae voor die vervaldatum van sodanige lisensie, hernu word. Indien die hernuwingsaansoek vir ‘n vuurwapen lisensie nie ten minste 90 dae voor die vervaldatum, by die Aangewese Vuurwapen Beampte ingehandig word nie, word sodanige vuurwapen hanteer volgens Artikel 28 van die Wet op die Beheer van Vuurwapens (Wet 60 van 2000). Artikel 28 van hierdie Wet bepaal dat lisensies van vuurwapens wat nie ten minste 90 dae voor die vervaldatum van die lisensie hernu word nie, outomaties beëindig sal word. Hierdie Artikel bepaal verder dat die betrokke vuurwapen-eienaar kennis moet ontvang dat hy/sy binne 30 dae, redes moet aanvoer waarom sodanige lisensie nie beëindig moet word nie. Indien die redes van die hand gewys word, moet die betrokke vuurwapen-eienaar 60 dae gegun word om ontslae te raak van vuurwapen, op ‘n voorgeskrewe wyse. Indien dit nie gebeur nie, sal die vuurwapen verbeurd verklaar word. Hierdie riglyne geld slegs ten opsigte van vuurwapenlisensies uitgereik onder die nuwe vuurwapenwet, naamlik Wet 60 van 2000. Hierdie prosedures geld, met ander woorde, slegs vir diegene wat oor die sogenaamde “wit” lisensies beskik.
Ons wil, in die lig van bogenoemde, ‘n ernstige beroep op alle lede doen om te verseker dat hulle gereeld hulle vuurwapenlisensies nagaan en hulself vergewis van elkeen se vervaldatum en sorg te dra dat die hernuwing daarvan ten minste 90 dae voor die vervaldatum gedoen word. Ons wil weereens beklemtoon dat lisensies, ingevolge die Wet binne ‘n periode van 90dae voor die vervaldatum hernu moet word. Daar bestaan nog nie eenstemmigheid of persone wat nog oor ‘n “groen” lisensie vir ‘n wapen beskik, soos hierbo beskryf, hom/haar daarop mag beroep nie. Die SAPD voer aan dat indien ‘n wit lisensie vir ‘n betrokke vuurwapen uitgereik was, die groen lisensie outomaties verval het. Sekere bronne voer aan dat dit nie in ooreenstemming met die destydse Hooggeregshof uitspraak is nie en dat alle groen lisensies wel geldig bly. Hierdie siening moet egter nog uit ‘n regsoogpunt getoets word en lede moet liefs nie daarop staatmaak nie.
Ons sal u op hoogte hou van verdere verwikkelinge sodra nuwe inligting beskikbaar kom.
ATT: MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
Re: RENEWAL OF FIREARM LICENSES IN TERMS OF SECTION 24 OF THE FIREARMS CONTROL ACT (ACT 60 OF 2000) LATE RENEWAL OF FIREARM LICENSES
(during or after the expiry of 90 days before the expiry date) After several efforts to obtain clarity on this matter, we managed to get insight into a directive by the SAPS to their command structure, relating to the procedures applicable to late renewals of firearm licenses. This particular directive was issued on 21 August 2015 but we only got access to it late yesterday (11 November 2015). We cannot but wonder why we were not officially informed about this?
Apparently, there are numerous unprocessed late applications for the renewal of firearm licenses involved countrywide.
The directive sent out by Maj Gen M M Motlhala outlines the following procedures: In terms of Section 24 of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000), all firearms licenses must be renewed at least 90 days before the expiry date thereof. In cases where the application for renewal of the firearm license was not handed in to the DFO, at least 90 days before the expiry date of the firearm license, such firearm will then be dealt with in accordance with Section 28 of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000). Section 28 of the Firearms Control Act determines that, firearm licenses of firearms which were not renewed at least 90 days before the expiry date of the license, will be terminated automatically. This Section of the Act further stipulates that the holder of such license will receive notice that representations can be made within 30 days, as to the reasons why the license should not be terminated. The Registrar will then consider the representations and should it be refused, the firearm owner shall be granted 60 days in which to dispose of the firearm in a prescribed manner and if not done, the firearm will be forfeited to the state. This directive only applies to the so called “white” license or licenses issued in terms of the new Firearms Control Act namely Act 60 of 2000.
In view of the above, we would like to appeal on all our members to ensure that they regularly scrutinize their firearm licenses and ascertain when their licenses must be renewed and then ensure that the renewals are done timeously. We reiterate that in accordance with the Act, licenses must be renewed at least 90 days before the expiry of a license. There are still different views on whether a person in possession of a “green” license for a firearm may appeal to the validity of the green license. The SAPS maintain the view that if a “white” firearm license was issued, the “green” license has automatically expired. Some sources maintain that the court order issued by the High Court intended that all “green” licenses will remain valid. This view still remains to be legally tested and members will be best served not to rely on these old “green” licenses but to renew their licenses in accordance with the new Act.
We will keep you posted on further developments should any new information become available.
Kind Regards Stephen Palos