POLITICS

Public must submit objections to Gun Bill before 31 July – Andrew Whitfield

DA MP says communities were left to fend for themselves in latest unrest with little or no assistance from police

DA calls on public to submit objections to Gun Bill before 31 July deadline 

26 July 2021

The DA calls on members of the public to sign our online petition and make their own formal written objections against the Firearms Control Amendment Bill before the 31 July deadline for public comments.

The petition has already gained significant traction with more than 83 000 signatures since we launched the petition in May this year.

The deadline for public submissions is 31 July 2021 and we urge those who have not yet signed the DA’s petition to do so. We also urge South Africans to submit their objections to this disastrous piece of legislation by sending an email to [email protected] and the DA at [email protected].

The DA does not support the Firearms Control Amendment Bill as it seeks to remove self-defence as a valid reason to possess a firearm in South Africa. It seeks to disarm law-abiding citizens and force them to rely on a police service which is understaffed, under-resourced and which has failed to combat crime.

The recent violent unrest and looting in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng demonstrated the police's inability to effectively deal with crime. Communities were left to fend for themselves in order to protect their properties with little or no assistance from police or law enforcement. Removing self-defence as a a reason to own a gun following this unprecedented unrest is not only reckless, but it also puts many innocent civilians at the mercy of criminals.

Issued by Andrew Whitfield, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 26 July 2021