36/1/4/1/2010
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 316
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 3 SEPTEMBER 2010
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 24- 2010)
Date reply submitted: 12 October 2010
316. Mr D A Worth (DA-FS) to ask the Minister of Police:
1) How many applications have been submitted for (a) new firearm licenses
and (b) the renewal of firearm licences in terms of the Firearms
Control Act, Act 60 of 2000, in the Free State (i) in the 2009-10
financial year and (ii) from 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified
date for which information is available;
2) how many license applications have been (a) issued and (b) renewed
during the abovementioned period;
3) (a) what is the total number of applications for (i) firearm licenses
and (ii) the
renewal of firearm licenses that are in the current backlog of
applications and (b) what is the average time taken to issue (i) a
firearm license and (ii) the renewed firearm license from the date of
submission to that of issuing?
CW411E
REPLY:
(1) (a) (i) The South African Police Service received 8 257
applications for new firearm licences in the Free State province
for the 2009-2010 financial year.
(1) (a) (ii) The South African Police Service received 3 637
applications for new firearm licences in the Free State province
for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 August 2010.
(1) (b) (i) The South African Police Service received 37 578
applications for the renewal of firearm licences in the Free
State province for the 2009-2010 financial year.
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(1) (b) (ii) The South African Police Service received 706 applications
for the renewal of firearm licences in the Free State province
for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 August 2010.
(2) (a) A total of 1 042 new firearm licences have been issued during
the 2009-2010 financial year and 659 for the period 1 April 2010
to 31 August 2010 for the Free State province. This figure does
not represent the number of new firearm licence applications
finalized by the South African Police Service as a number of
applications have been refused by the Firearms Consideration
Committee at the Central Firearms Register and a number of
applicants have opted to cancel their applications.
(2) (b) A total of 18 409 renewal firearm licences have been approved
during the 2009-2010 financial year and 4 874 for the period 1
April 2010 to 31 August 2010 for the Free State province. This
figure does not represent the number of renewal applications
finalized by the South African Police Service as a number of
applications have been refused by the Firearms Consideration
Committee in the Free State and a number of applicants have
opted to cancel their applications.
(3) (a) (i) The South African Police Service record that approximately
12 714 applications for new firearm licences are outstanding at
the various police stations and the office of the Provincial
Commander: Firearms, Liquor and Second-hand Goods Control in the
Free State province.
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(3) (a) (ii) The South African Police Service record that approximately
58 901 applications for renewal of firearm licences are
outstanding at the various police stations and the office of the
Provincial Commander: Firearms, Liquor And Second-Hand Goods
Control in the Free State province.
(3) (b) (i) and (ii) The consideration of firearm licence applications
including the renewal of firearm licence applications are
subject to the issuing of appropriate competency
certificates to the applicants. It is expected of every
applicant to first obtain a relevant competency certificate
before a firearm licence may be issued. In some cases
applicants apply simultaneously for both the competency
certificate as well as the firearm licence. In other cases
the applicant first applies for a competency certificate
and thereafter for the firearm licence. The decision of the
applicant impact on the average period it takes to process
a firearm licence. Various processes such as background
evaluations, fingerprint checks and a profiling of the
applicant are taken into account before a competency
certificate is issued.
.The average processing time for a firearm licence/renewal
of a firearm licence to be granted subject to the various
variables is approximately six (6) months.
In June 2010 the Ministry tasked the Secretariat to undertake a assessment
of the Central Firearms Registry and to recommend steps to be take to
address backlogs. The assessment is almost completed and I will be making a
statement in the near future on steps that will be taken to address
backlogs
Reply to question 316 approved by MINISTER