Durban - Police are investigating a syndicate selling temporary gun licences to Chinese residents of KwaZulu-Natal who believe they are “easy targets” for criminals.
The investigation is centred on an increasing number of recently processed applications for temporary gun licences specifically for Chinese nationals under Section 21 of the Firearms Control Act.
Licences are allegedly issued and sold for between R25 000 and R30 000. The act allows a foreigner to obtain a firearm licence for 12 months, without having to go through any competency tests. It also says licences should be issued only if there are extraordinary circumstances and requires the foreigner to submit a detailed motivation, as well as proof that they do not have a criminal record in their home country. It takes between seven and 14 days to be processed.
Abios Khoele, of the Black Gun Owners’ Association, said it was common knowledge that there was a serious problem with Section 21 of the Firearms Control Act and several organisations had been calling for it to be scrapped because it made it “too easy” for a foreigner to get a gun license.
“The Chinese have been doing this for some time now. It is an ongoing problem that has been raised time and time again. We were informed of this several times in the past, that foreign nationals are paying bribes for licences, and raised this with the Minister of Police but it was never addressed. We even called for a commission of inquiry into corruption with the firearms issuing processes and nothing was done,” said Koehle.
He said the problem with issuing temporary gun licences was that once the licence expired, “We then find ourselves with a whole lot of unlicensed firearms. The gun then becomes illegal and people do not hand their guns in,” said Khoele.
He has been calling for the act to be abolished because he believed it was flawed and easily manipulated.
Adele Kirsten of Gun Free South Africa said she believed corruption ran deep in the license issuing process. The Central Firearms Registry in Pretoria, where licensing takes place, has come under fire on several occasions in the past with high-ranking officials being suspended for corruption.
“The rot starts at the top. The illegal issuing of licences has been going on for a long time. Authorities are aware of this from as far back as 2010. There are major flaws in the system and problems with the processing of applications. Even though there are strict regulations for the issuing of temporary licences, section 21 is easily manipulated,” said Kirsten.
Police did not respond to questions at the time of going to print.
Some Chinese residents of Durban said they believed they were at risk and were soft targets because of their businesses.
When the Sunday Tribune visited a number of China Malls and Chinese-owned shops in the CBD, most of the shopowners said they did not have guns but if the process was easier, they would obtain a gun licence without hesitation.
“I use a gas gun, which I keep in my shop. Getting licences isn’t easy for us, although we wish it were easier,” said one man, who only wanted to be known as Mr Li.
Li said criminals often followed them home to hijack or rob them. Although he banked locally, some foreigners carried cash on them. Another Chinese woman who owns a store in the CBD said she felt safe in Durban, but there was always a need to watch her back.
“My relatives were hijacked in Joburg and my cousin was shot. He survived, but we moved to Durban because we feel much safer here.”