Gun experts say Bitou deputy mayor broke the law

FIREARM experts have said that the Bitou Municipality deputy mayor, Nokuzola Kolwapi, will have a lot to account for after she discharged what she said was a toy gun in a viral video, as her behaviour was reckless and contravenes the Firearms Control Act.

- THEOLIN TEMBO

Kolwapi, who is also the Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM) president, released an official statement through the party’s social media on Monday, saying that the video was taken during the celebration marking the return of her son from ulwaluko - a sacred Xhosa initiation ceremony that marks the transition into manhood.

In her statement, she specifically mentions it being a “replica (toy-gun)”, however, firearm experts have come out and said that they don’t view it as such, and that even if it were, she still broke the law.

Martin Hood, an attorney at MJ Hood & Associates, specialises in matters of firearm law and is also a firearm instructor.

He explained that Kolwapi’s cultural argument holds no merit as “there is no culture that recognises waving a firearm around in public”, so her “relying on culture is absolute rubbish”.