Police slammed for slow progress in processing the renewal of firearm license applications

The chairperson of Parliament’s Police portfolio committee, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, has lashed out at police for the slow progress made in processing the renewal of firearm license applications.

Police top brass, including Minister Bheki Cele, appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee to discuss the backlog in finalising applications on Tuesday.

The department has come under fire for the state of the Central Firearms Registry, where documents are stored in piles on the floor.

Joemat-Pettersson says none of the issues raised by the committee on previous occasions has been addressed.

“You’ve only employed three new employees. Five were promotional posts. so how to address backlog with only three new employees? Totally, totally unheard of. You say there is movement but the presentation you made doesn’t give me hope at all,” said Joemat-Pettersson.