Dear Mr Cele,

I realise that you are very busy with an enormous task and let me ad that I admire your determination to create a safer society for all of us!

I wish there was time that I could have bought you a cup of coffee and looked you in the eye whilst discussing the following matter, but here is my reasonable request and I hope you will hear me out :

Mr Cele, like many other law abiding citizens my wife simply forgot to renew her fire arm before it had expired. She remembered a week after it had expired and went to our local SAPS station, but it was too late ! It wasn't deliberate nor did she intend to violated the Law. However, in terms of the Law she is now in possession of an illegal fire arm and it bothers us!

It is not easy to remember the due dates every five years when you are busy running around trying to make a living, with so many things on one's mind. The system that was in place at SAPS before whereby you received a sms from SAPS 90+ days before the firearm license expired was very helpful, but sadly it has fallen by the way side.

Most citizens have the same problem with the motor vehicle drivers license renewals, but there is a difference! There is reasonable understanding, mercy and forgiving!

If your drivers license had expired you would have to pay a fine (example: if confronted by a officer in a road block) and you have to pay for a temporary license as well as a fee for renewal of the license and all this is done without confiscating the vehicle.

Mr Cele, I am pleading to you to please consider the same for those of us who simply forgot to renew our firearms on time.

Please will you consider an amnesty with systems and procedures in place for us to apply for the renewal of our fire arms licenses with a fine and fees like in the case of drivers licenses that have . please expired. Please sir !

Some of the positives that can come of such a move are the following :

1) SAPS would not have to provide for systems, procedures and safe storage for all the firearms that have not been renewed on time and need to be handed in
2) SAPS can use the same staff required to facilitate the return of the fire arms and collect a considerable amount of money ( I guess in excess of R110M+) in fines and renewal fees and without the burden of storerooms full of weapons.
3) if SAPS re-institutes the system of notifying the owners of firearms with a sms that the license is due for renewal a fee can be charged for this services and most of us will be willing to pay for this service.
4) SAPS have after careful consideration and approval issued these firearm licenses in the past so it would be a waste to nullify this process that had taken place by confiscating these firearms.
5) With SAPS's understanding and willingness to provide a reasonable option it would would result in even more confidence in SAPS and the justice system and an appreciation by the country's citizens.
5) why is it so important for my wife to retain her firearm? Because we al know the reality of crime and when I leave her at home alone at times at least she has some means to defend herself in a worse case scenario - Heaven forbid.

Mr, Cele I look forward to your favorable response.

Kind regards.

David du Plessis