A group of gun owners and gun shop owners are demanding that police grant them firearm licences in a memorandum handed to the office of Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa on Tuesday.
”We have given them three weeks to respond to our demand. If they don’t respond we will go and collect our guns from the gun shop owners with or without licences,” said Abios Khoele, president of the Black Gun Owners’ Association.
Guns are held at the shops after they are purchased, until the necessary paperwork is completed.
The memorandum read that black gun owners were ”sick and tired of the lies” from Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula about their guns.
”Black gun owners need firearms for self-defence and are being refused all of their licences without compensation,” he said.
Paul Trollit, owner of a gun shop on the East Rand, said people who sought guns were being turned down for many reasons, including being a teacher.
”One person who is a teacher had his application turned down because of his job description,” Trollit said.
He said police were sitting on 20 000 appeals that would take about 18 months to process.
Trollit said most gun shop owners in South Africa supported the Black Gun Owners’ Association because the new Firearms Control Act could put them out of business.
He had himself sold only five guns in the past ten months, he said. -Sapa