The long awaited Firearm Control Amendment Bill has been tabled in parliament despite strong opposition.
Among other amendments, the bill seeks to extend the period of licences held by those dealing in firearms. It has also taken a more lenient approach to firearm collectors, no longer limiting their stock.
But it does require that all "prohibited" and "restricted" firearms in the possession of registered collectors be made inoperable.
Assistant commissioner of the police's legal division, Philip Jacobs, said business licences for game ranching and hunting had been extended from five to 10 years and the licences of dealers, manufacturers and gunsmiths to five years.
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The bill - deemed too soft by the anti-gun lobby - also removes the restrictions placed on the number of shots a semi-automatic shotgun may fire in succession. This was after shottists complained that the act prevented them from competing in international sporting events.
But Democratic Alliance MP Roy Jankielsohn, whose Free State constituency has strongly contested the bill, said it no longer recognised licences issued under the old act.
He said this would add to the backlog and stress placed on the staggered licensing process that has already required ministerial intervention to postpone the first deadline.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Times on June 08, 2006
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