2004 Volume 1

Backlog

Pretoria - The Central Firearms Registry apparently has a backlog of nearly 15 000 applications which may "take a year" to process.
The applications are apparently from people all over the country, most of whom already applied last year.

Senior officials at firearm registration offices in Gauteng and the central registry in Pretoria say the backlog is exacerbated by a "new system” that was introduced on December 22.

Senior Superintendent Andrew Lesch, national police spokesperson, said the evaluation system has been "adjusted".

"All applications are now finalised by a committee, which includes an evaluation officer. This system ensures that all applications are considered justly and uniformly."

He said he had to submit the applications for his province on a weekly basis. "I would be lucky if I can finalise 300 applications per month."
There are 300 new applications each month.

"There's a backlog of about 15000 applications. At this rate it will take about a year to evaluate all the applications. Applicants are phoning us and laughing in our faces and calling us idiots because it's taking so long."

Lesch denies that the committee system is delaying the application process and says delays "occur mostly when incomplete forms are submitted."

"The backlog that existed previously has nearly been wiped out. There's always a number of applications waiting for approval.”