CAPE TOWN -- South Africa's government, facing strong opposition to a drafted law on gun controls approved by the Cabinet, stressed Thursday the new curbs were to stop criminals and not legal firearms owners.
Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete gave the assurance at a news conference on the planned new restrictions on gun use in South Africa, where more than 25,000 murders are committed each year -- half of them with guns."This is not an attempt to disarm any sector of our society, except for those who use firearms in the commission of crime or violence," Tshwete told the news conference following Wednesday's Cabinet approval of the draft law.
Police lawyer Louis Kok, who helped draft the bill, said 85 percent or nearly 75,000 of the violent robberies carried out last year in South Africa, one of the world's most crime-ridden countries, involved the use of firearms.
The bill, dogged by controversy during the drafting process, limits ownership of guns and ammunition, requires regular relicensing, bars people convicted of violent crimes, creates gun free zones and gives police sweeping new powers.
South Africa's predominantly white gun lobby argues that the problem lies in illegal -- not legal -- weapons and has demonstrated strongly against the bill.
"The bill sends a clear and loud message that this government has dealt a decisive blow to violent criminals given that guns are the common denominator in crimes ranging from rape to domestic violence, hijacking and robbery," Tshwete said.
Police say there are 3.5 million licensed firearms spread among the country's 1.9 million licensed gun owners. However, the police estimate that there are only 500,000 illegal weapons in the country while pro-gun lobbyists put the figure at close to four million.
In a major change to current practice that is likely to offend civil rights activists, the bill allows police to fingerprint anyone suspected of being involved in an offense.
"The current law does not allow fingerprinting to eliminate a suspect," Kok said, acknowledging that the bill was bound to be challenged in court on several issues.
"We have made provision in the bill to limit the right to privacy as little as possible...But we expect the bill to be challenged in the Constitutional Court," he said.
Under the bill, which is bound to cause an outcry among the gun lobby, a person who is a part time hunter or sports shooter may be allowed to own up to four guns.
However, someone who simply wants to own a firearm for self-defence purposes will be limited to one gun and 200 rounds of ammunition and have to reapply for a licence every two years.
Professional hunters, sports shooters, people involved in the security business and collectors will be allowed to own as many guns as they want.
"Weapons used for hunting or sports shooting are not normally used in crimes," Kok explained.
Jail terms for firearm offences range up to 25 years -- although there is no minimum -- and the fine for simply failing to store a licensed weapon properly is 5,000 rand the first time, rising to 15,000 on the second offence.