MPs will next month formally consider an application by Police Minister Bheki Cele for a six months firearms amnesty period, Parliament's police committee said in a statement on Tuesday.
Committee chairman Francois Beukman said Cele sent a letter proposing the amnesty period from September 1 to February 28 during which people can surrender firearms without fear of prosecution.
"The proposed amnesty could potentially assist in the reduction of firearms in circulation in the Republic. The biggest challenge is still, however, to address the matter of illegal firearms in circulation, and to prevent legal firearms being stolen and getting lost in the pool of illegal firearms," said Beukman.
After the committee considers Cele's request it would be sent to the National Assembly for approval.
- African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Catherine Rice
