Civil society organisation, Gun Free South Africa, says the use of firearms escalated the recent violence in parts of the country.
The public is left with less than two weeks to make submissions on the proposed changes to the Firearms Control Amendment Bill.
Some of the amendments have caused a stir, particularly the clause about applying for a firearm for self-defence reasons that could potentially be removed.
Government says the proposed law will help reduce crime:
The deadline for submissions is August 02, 2021.
More than 300 people have died during the violence in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Gun Free South Africa spokesperson Adele Kirsten says they support the proposed amendments.
“The presence of guns and other weapons escalated the nature of the confrontation. It creates a domestic arms race, where everyone wants more guns. We will continue with our resolve to get guns off the streets and out of our homes. We will continue to mobilise our communities and civil rights partners to make submissions in support of the bill, over the next ten days,” adds Kirsten.
Reaction to proposed changes to the Firearms Control Act:
