Presentation to the Portfolio Commitee on Police DANGEROUS WEAPONS BILL 2012 South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association - SAHGCA Presentation to the Portfolio Commitee on Police Parliament 26 February 2013

-SAHGCA - Dangerous Weapons Bill 2012 ABOUT SAHGCA: Represent hunters and sport shooters in South Africa Biggest conservation association in South Africa Membership 33 000+ Established 1949

- SAHGCA – Dangerous Weapons Bill 2012 The association acknowledges and support the rationalizing of the legislation, but opposes the following : Inclusion of firearms Ambiguity in the definitions Latitude of discretion to the law enforcers

-SAHGCA- DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 INCLUSION OF “FIREARMS” EXISTING LEGISLATION COVERING FIREARMS: FIREARMS CONTROL ACT CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT CONTROL OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS ACT PUBLIC GATHERING ACT

- SAHGCA – DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 INCLUSION OF “FIREARMS” (cont) THE BILL CHANGED PURPOSE; PREVIOUS CONSULTATION PROCESS DID NOT COVER THE NEW IMPLICATIONS

- SAHGCA – DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 On behalf of all Hunters and Sport shooters; SAHGCA opposes the inclusion of “Firearm” in the strongest terms – it will create a host of new problems

- SAHGCA – DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 Ambiguity in the definition of a dangerous weapon Was the object designed? Can the object produce death? Is it a weapon?

- SAHGCA – DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 Latitude of discretion Section 2 (2) Subsections (a), (b), (c) and possibly (e) requires judgement and interpretation which could differ significantly from person to person dependant on differences in skill, experience, emotional state, leading to various outcomes.

- SAHGCA – DANGEROUS WEAPON BILL 2012 Capacity of SAPS A word of caution ! As a society we are already expecting too much of an overburdened SAPS

- SAHGCA – Dangerous Weapons Bill 2013 Thank you!!