The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has welcomed the last-minute postponement of a planned two-day online ‘stakeholder engagement’ webinar this week by the Civilian Police Secretariat (CPS) in light of the ‘desultory’ preparations for the event.
The draft Firearm Amendment Bill, which would, inter alia, ban South Africans from owning guns for the purpose of self-defence, was to be discussed – but, while the South African Football Association was among invitees, key stakeholders such as Gun Owners South Africa, Girls on Fire (a women’s rights advocacy group), and the IRR, were not invited.
In a statement, the IRR pointed out that it had channelled over 20 000 submissions opposing the Bill on the grounds of research highlighting the flaws in the ‘reckless and illiberal’ draft legislation.
‘In addition, load-shedding would have rendered it impossible for most stakeholders to participate in the webinar without being interrupted. Until load-shedding is terminated it will remain impossible for a webinar to facilitate a genuine meeting of relevant stakeholders. ‘
Said IRR project manager Terence Corrigan: ‘In our view, the proponents of this Bill have failed to make a convincing case for it. We have made extensive critiques of the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment, as well as of the documents upon which the Bill has been based.
‘The Bill proposes radically to restrict the grounds on which firearms may be owned and used; the various consequences of this will be extensive indeed. At a bare minimum, this requires that all stakeholders’ inputs be properly considered. We hope that good sense will prevail and that this Bill will be abandoned; but if it is to proceed, it must be done in a manner that allows those with an interest in it to have a genuine opportunity to voice their concerns.’