From: Peter Moss
To: "SA Institute for Race Relations:
RE: Going off at half cock
Copies to: admin@bgoasa.co.za
Date sent: Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:33:16 +0200

Dear Mr. xxxxxx

Sadly your suspicions are confirmed. More than 50% of firearm owners are blacks. Blacks in particular have been marginalised by the FCA in its unwarranted requirements, expenses and even language. There was also a total lack of consultation with any black firearm owners.

To say the SAPS have been unhelpful would be an understatement. In particular the very poorly advertised relicencing and lack of public education. Those are now caught in the trap as there is no more relicencing for the 900,000 plus firearm owners.

Many members have been refused licences on arbitrary and capacious grounds. The list goes no but the main point I think is that there is simply no justification for this Act when during the Goldstone commission hearing on illegal firearms the ANC and SAPS claimed the ANC caches and armed wing were not a danger to the public as no research showed this and was divided.

The SAPS claimed the old act was sufficient but lacked enforcement and legal licenced firearm owners were not a problem.

Research by the US government and recognised bodies including the very anti gun CDC confirms this.

One must question the motives of the ANC government in the steam roller tactics it used and the known unproven benefits claimed for the FCA. One should not encourage more legislation of this type but rather its review as fit for purpose and cost effectiveness.

What does the Firearms Control Act really cost the citizens of South Africa in both monetary terms and wasted police effort that could be better directed to solving and punishing our out of control crime?

Regards Peter
BGOASA research.