Hon Speaker, firearms tossed overboard outside Durban and Richards Bay Harbours or smashed in order for ships and boats to be allowed into our ports are two of the unintended consequences of a recent directive from the virtually defunct Central Firearms Registry, CFR, in Pretoria.
Last month the CFR took over the power of the local Port Authority Police to secure firearms used for vessel protection on incoming ships, and now we have a major issue. Applications for permits must be made to the CFR offices in Pretoria and, of course, they are in total disarray.
Desperate captains are having firearms dumped overboard rather than having to anchor outside the harbours at a cost of US$30 000 a day. One captain even smashed the firearms and presented the empty box.
This system is due to be implemented in Cape Town Harbour this week. The consequences of this truly ridiculous decision means that South Africa is now sending vessels from our ports into Somali pirate territory totally unarmed.
Ship owners will only pay once to replace these firearms that they are forced to abandon. In future, they will simply reroute their vessels to the many other ports available to them.
This directive to give more work to the CFR, which is unable to renew a simple licence in under two to five years, has placed the commercial viability of our ports and the jobs of the people who work there in jeopardy.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has much to answer for, as there is no legislation backing up this bizarre move on the part of his Ministry. [Applause.]