2004 Volume 3

Editorial

In 1999 a “ghost Firearms Control Bill” was being discussed around Parliament without the media having any knowledge of it, until the African Christian Democratic Party informed the Sunday Times about it. A furore started in the firearms industry and licensed gun owners were shocked when the Sunday Times published an article on this bill.

Victims Against Crime protested against the Firearms Control Bill (FCB) when we took part in a march of 1000 licensed firearm owners to Parliament on 14 July 1999. We also led a march of more than 1200 protesters to Parliament on 11 August 1999 on the same issue.

The right to firearms' ownership received more than 14000 public requests for consideration in the drafting of the new SA Constitution, only the death penalty received more. These were ignored and scarcely discussed.

The first draft of the Firearms Control Bill received 2000 submissions, which were left lying unopened on tables and also ignored by government. Petitions signed by more than 380 000 people were carted, by wheelbarrow, into the Parliamentary buildings and to a meeting of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee discussing the Firearms Control Bill. At this meeting it was stated by an ANC MP that the FCB was just a stepping-stone leading to the total disarmament of the South African public.

A second draft of the FCB received more than 450 submissions, more than any draft bill in the history of South Africa. The SAPS, who decided what should be considered, intercepted submissions. The incomplete summary shows many submissions were not incorporated and a large number of suggestions ignored and never considered or presented to the portfolio committee.

Victims Against Crime once again protested against the implementation of this unjust law with a placard demonstration in Cape Town on Wednesday 30th June 2004. Protesters gathered at the gates of Parliament, on the corner of Plein and Roeland Streets from 1pm. I had at least 12 media interviews concerning this issue including a radio station in the Netherlands and also a Belgian newspaper.

The Government's controversial Firearms Control Act came into effect on Thursday, 1 July 2004. This new Act represents an unconstitutional encroachment upon the firearm owner's rights to privacy, property, life, presumption of innocence and self-defence.

This unlawful Act also stands to rob gun dealers, hunters, sports shooters and the many related organisations and businesses, of their livelihood.
You need to get involved in fighting this unjust law.

My colleague, Sipho, and I met with the Black Taxi Association, CODETA, and explained to them the ramifications of the new FCA. They are not impressed with this legislation and the possible results this has in store for the security of their drivers and passengers in the future. One needs to be aware that the process to follow to achieve a competency certificate is difficult enough for educated people, let alone the semi-educated, coping with a second or third language, and will in their minds be a major obstacle, as many of their drivers cannot read or write proficiently enough for such a test.

It is also interesting that an official of the Department of Safety and Security phoned our offices and demanded the last two editions of our Firearm News. He wanted it couriered to him by the very next day. I have also posted the official a copy of my book “Shooting Back – The Right and Duty of Self-Defence” so that, as I explained to him: “You can see how much the public is against the new Firearms Control Act”.

One must concede that as a fraternity we are struggling to get the upper hand in the media. It is not surprising when one considers the disgraceful attitude that some firearm owners have when dealing even with their own. I spoke to the chairman of a shooting club close to where I live, and wanted to discuss rental of their buildings. I found him to be rude, obnoxious, unfriendly and quite unhelpful. People like him give the firearms fraternity a bad name.

Why is it that when civil people walk into a gun shop their attitude changes and their language is so distasteful that it could make an army instructor blush? If we want to win this war against tyranny, the first point will be that we need to repent before God Almighty of our bad attitudes, disgraceful speech and conduct, and learn to work together with people who disagree with us so that we can influence them with the truth.

You cannot get better value for money than paying a subscription to Firearm News, where you are kept up to date with what is going on in Parliament, and have friends representing your interests in demonstrations and letters to editors. We have represented the cause on many radio and television programmes locally and internationally and have served, without salaries, so that the struggle may go on.

Thank you for your support; please consider paying for 2 subscriptions and receive a free gift copy of Mbokodo.

Yours in the struggle for true freedom

Charl van Wyk