Die familieboerorganisasie Saai het op 20 Januarie 2021 in ’n skrywe aan die minister van Polisie versoek dat die sperdatum vir amnestie-aansoeke – teen die agtergrond van die tweede vlaag van die COVID-19-pandemie en die ontwrigtende impak daarvan op die SAPD se funksionering – met ’n verdere drie maande uitgestel word.
Die COVID-19-regulasies, vrees vir verspreiding en polisiebeamptes wat weens COVID-19-voorvalle afwesig is, is tans besig om die amnestietydperk vir vuurwapenlisensies in die wiele te ry. Polisiekantore op die platteland het dikwels ’n tekort aan die verskillende voorgeskrewe vorms wat benodig word om vir amnestie aansoek te doen. Beurtkrag en deurlopende instandhouding van stelsels bring ook mee dat rekenaarstelsels gereeld van lyn af is, terwyl die afwesigheid van die nodige beamptes die amnestieproses verder ontwrig.
Saai is bekommerd oor die SAPD se kapasiteit om die amnestie-aansoeke in ’n billike tydperk te verwerk en die korrekte vuurwapens ongeskonde aan die regte eienaars terug te besorg. Sommige Saai-lede moes tot sewe keer na polisiekantore terugkeer en etlike ure wag dat hul aansoeke sonder sukses verwerk kan word. COVID-19 kry meeste van die tyd die skuld hiervoor en dis juis om hierdie rede dat die tydperk vir aansoeke verleng behoort te word.
Een van die grootste struikelblokke is die vereiste dat vuurwapens vir die duur van die amnestieproses by die SAPD ingehandig moet word. Met die hoë landelike misdaadsyfer en toename in plaasaanvalle, veediefstal en stroping van oeste en wild maak dit egter nie sin om boere ongewapend op hul plase vir lisensiëring te laat wag nie. Saai se voorstel dat boere hul wapens moet hou en slegs laat inneem wanneer die SAPD vir ballistiese toetsing gereed is, het tot dusvêr op dowe ore geval.
Vanweë die waarde van vuurwapens en veral duur jaggewere beveel Saai vuurwapeneienaars aan om foto’s van hul vuurwapens te neem as bewys van die toestand waarin die vuurwapens tydens inhandiging was.
As die grootste netwerk eksklusief vir familieboere hou Saai die amnestieproses nougeset dop en staan gereed om die SAPD vir administratiewe geregtigheid en vir die terugbesorging van wapens verantwoordelik en aanspreeklik te hou.
Vuurwapeneienaars wat bekommerd is dat hulle in die amnestieproses tenagekom word, kan Saai by 066 071 6094 skakel.
Saai requests extension of amnesty period
The family farmer organisation Saai on 20 January 2021 requested the Minister of Police in a letter that the deadline for amnesty applications – against the background of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptive impact thereof on the functioning of the SAPS – be postponed with a further three months.
The COVID-19 regulations, fear of spreading and police officers being absent as a result of the COVID-19 incidents, are currently busy derailing the amnesty period for firearm licences. Police offices in rural areas often have a shortage of the different prescribed forms needed to apply for amnesty. Load shedding and continuous maintenance of systems also cause computer systems to be offline regularly, while the absence of the necessary officials further disrupts the amnesty process.
Saai is concerned about the capacity of the SAPS to process the amnesty applications within a reasonable period and to return the correct firearms undamaged to the rightful owners. Certain Saai members had to return to police offices up to seven times and had to wait several hours for their applications to be processed unsuccessfully. COVID-19 is mostly blamed for this and it is precisely for this reason that the period for applications ought to be extended.
One of the biggest obstacles is the requirement that firearms must be handed in at the SAPS for the duration of the amnesty process. Taking into account the high rural crime rate and increase in farm attacks, cattle theft, crop theft and poaching of game, it simply doesn’t make sense to leave farmers unarmed on their farms while they are waiting for their firearms to be licensed. Saai’s proposal that farmers must be allowed to keep their firearms and only hand it in once the SAPS is ready for ballistics testing has however up until now fell on deaf ears.
As a result of the value of firearms and especially expensive hunting rifles, Saai is strongly recommending firearm owners to take photos of their firearms to serve as proof of the condition of the firearms upon the process of handing it in.
As the largest network exclusively for family farmers, Saai will continue keeping a close eye on the amnesty process and the organisation is ready to hold the SAPS accountable and responsible for administrative justice and for the return of weapons.
Firearm owners that are concerned that they are being disadvantaged during the amnesty process can contact Saai at 066 071 6094.
