Report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the Declaration of an Amnesty in terms of the Firearms Control Act, dated 3 November 2009:

The Portfolio Committee on Police, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Declaration of an Amnesty in terms of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000), recommends that the House, in terms of section 139(2)(a) of the Act, approve the said Declaration subject to the following recommendations:

1. That the words “No details of the person who hands in the firearm will be taken down, if the person wishes to utilize the anonymous process for amnesty“ in paragraph “a” of the Declaration be deleted.

2. That the words “Proper audit processes must be put in place to ensure the auditing of the records of all firearms, surrendered anonymously in terms of this amnesty” in the second last paragraph of the Declaration also be deleted.

The Committee is of the view that an anonymous amnesty process will be open to abuse.

Report to be considered.