How to get a firearm licence in South Africa - and the battle against new gun laws

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Getting a gun in South Africa — and the fight against new gun laws

Armed South Africans who fought back against looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last month have brought government’s controversial plans to amend the country's firearm laws back into the spotlight.

Government and anti-gun activists have claimed that removing self-defence as a valid reason to own a firearm from the Firearms Control Act will help keep guns off the streets stolen from legal owners.
 
The criminals seem to have a steady supply of guns and ammunition from the Police.

Just witness the latest 1.5 million rounds stolen in KZN, and also the recent Police station robbery.

www.news24.com

Northern Cape police station robbed of firearms and ammunition | News24

Three armed men have robbed a Northern Cape police station of arms and ammunition.
www.news24.com www.news24.com

www.news24.com

#UnrestSA: Thousands of looted bullets spread across KwaZulu-Natal | News24

On Wednesday - at the peak of rampant looting and unrest - over one million rounds of ammunition imported from Brazil were stolen from the yard in Mobeni, an industrial area behind the port of Durban.
www.news24.com www.news24.com
 
lkswan747 said:
And just yesterday it was reported that R5 rifles, and handguns were stolen from a Police Station in the Northern Cape! How the hell are we supposed to rely on SAPS for protection?
This is an absolute joke, only criminals will be able to possess weapons!
Click to expand...
Hemi300c said:
Situation report. Attack on Police Station: Tsineng
Tsineng Cas 11/07/2021.
Robbery with firearm.

On 2021/07/31 at about 21:40 shift D consisting of 2 members was on duty. Cst Saul in Csc and Cst Moseki was the vehicle driver. At the time of the incident
Cst Saul (Female) was alone in Csc when 3 unknown male persons, Tswana speaking, entered the CSC. They asked if this was Tsineng police station and two of the three just jumped over the counter and took out a firearm and pointed it to Cst Saul. They asked for firearms. The keys to the safe were in cst Saul pocket, and she opened the safe after they demanded the keys at gun point. The unknown suspects took 3× R5 rifles with 2 magazines and 37 rounds ammunition, 2x 12bore pump actions with 103 rounds of ammunition, 8x9mm pistols with 5 magazines and 98 rounds of ammunition.
They then tied the member with cable ties, closed the door and left the station. The member didn’t hear any vehicle leaving the station. The member managed to losen the cable ties on her hands and managed to call Capt Setlabi, the SC. The suspects also took the member’s cellphone with nr 0766853672. The suspects are unknown to the member and it was the first time she saw them in this area.

The cellphone was traced to a nearby village, Maipeying and the area was search by a multi disciplinary team. No successes obtained as yet.

Operations are ongoing.
Report compile by
Lt Col Moorcroft
0791468946.
Click to expand...
 
For anyone who has been following this circus, here is a link to the "Wits Report" that was finally made public in June 2021. Some takeaways:

  • The report concludes that gun control cannot be credited with reducing crime in SA. Strong policing is what actually makes a difference.
  • The Firearms Control Act is relevant to less than 5% of crimes reported to SAPS. The exact wording:
...violent crime should not be equated with firearms as they are often carried out with other weapons.
Click to expand...
  • Violent crimes can be divided into Firearm Choice crimes and Firearm Dependent crimes. The former can be performed with other weapons and declines when there is policing effort. The latter cannot be performed without firearms and is impervious to the Firearms Control Act. Even when policing results in a declining number of Firearm Dependent crimes, these crimes are still performed with firearms.
  • It is estimated that around 5.5% of adults in South Africa are legal gun owners. That is 1 out of every ~20. Keep in mind that around the same time as this study, about 49% of adults in SA were living below the poverty line. The anti-gun crowd tries to dilute gun ownership in SA by simply looking at the number of gun owners against the total population of the country, but that's misleading. When you consider the number of gun owners vs the number of people who can plausibly own a gun, it's clear that this country is actually very pro-gun.
  • Regular individuals lose guns at a rate of just 0.18% per year. SAPS loses guns at a rate of 0.20% per year. Security services have a loss rate of 0.99% - more than 5 times the loss rate of individual citizens. How many anti-gunners make their tweets and write their columns from a house that has armed response? Or a complex protected by a security company? How many are willing to cancel their subscription, since preventing criminals from getting stolen guns is supposedly the whole point of this exercise?

The sweet irony is that if they never pushed for this crap, this report could have likely stayed hidden perpetually and nobody would have cared. The government could have kept pointing to their civilian scapegoat whenever armed criminals struck. The anti-gunners could have kept their gravy train rolling. Instead, the former has effectively thrown the latter under the bus by releasing a report that obliterates many of the myths they've been punting for years. Combined with what just happened in KZN and GP last month, it's obvious that this country does need an overhaul of firearm legislation - but in favour of civilians, not against them.
 
K213N said:
For anyone who has been following this circus, here is a link to the "Wits Report" that was finally made public in June 2021. Some takeaways:

  • The report concludes that gun control cannot be credited with reducing crime in SA. Strong policing is what actually makes a difference.
  • The Firearms Control Act is relevant to less than 5% of crimes reported to SAPS. The exact wording:

  • Violent crimes can be divided into Firearm Choice crimes and Firearm Dependent crimes. The former can be performed with other weapons and declines when there is policing effort. The latter cannot be performed without firearms and is impervious to the Firearms Control Act. Even when policing results in a declining number of Firearm Dependent crimes, these crimes are still performed with firearms.
  • It is estimated that around 5.5% of adults in South Africa are legal gun owners. That is 1 out of every ~20. Keep in mind that around the same time as this study, about 49% of adults in SA were living below the poverty line. The anti-gun crowd tries to dilute gun ownership in SA by simply looking at the number of gun owners against the total population of the country, but that's misleading. When you consider the number of gun owners vs the number of people who can plausibly own a gun, it's clear that this country is actually very pro-gun.
  • Regular individuals lose guns at a rate of just 0.18% per year. SAPS loses guns at a rate of 0.20% per year. Security services have a loss rate of 0.99% - more than 5 times the loss rate of individual citizens. How many anti-gunners make their tweets and write their columns from a house that has armed response? Or a complex protected by a security company? How many are willing to cancel their subscription, since preventing criminals from getting stolen guns is supposedly the whole point of this exercise?

The sweet irony is that if they never pushed for this crap, this report could have likely stayed hidden perpetually and nobody would have cared. The government could have kept pointing to their civilian scapegoat whenever armed criminals struck. The anti-gunners could have kept their gravy train rolling. Instead, the former has effectively thrown the latter under the bus by releasing a report that obliterates many of the myths they've been punting for years. Combined with what just happened in KZN and GP last month, it's obvious that this country does need an overhaul of firearm legislation - but in favour of civilians, not against them.
Click to expand...
Good Job
 
Get your fire-arms, as needed in the Khasi, cheaper, and without any questions asked. No bull, nor red tape.
 
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Jola said:
The criminals seem to have a steady supply of guns and ammunition from the Police.

Just witness the latest 1.5 million rounds stolen in KZN, and also the recent Police station robbery.
Click to expand...

Not just that but Im 99.9% sure gangs arent walking around with AK47s stolen from regular self defence armaments, they come over the boarders from Mozam and others where they were left lying around by war lords. The weapons favored by criminals are not even the kind you would buy for self defence
 
For the first time in my life, I am considering a firearm for self defence, but I am terrified of the accidental death aspect.

Any thoughts on less lethal options like pepper ball guns. The ones that look close enough to chase away a knife armed opponent and will give you a fighting chance against a group of home invaders/looters
 
Sapphiron said:
For the first time in my life, I am considering a firearm for self defence, but I am terrified of the accidental death aspect.

Any thoughts on less lethal options like pepper ball guns. The ones that look close enough to chase away a knife armed opponent and will give you a fighting chance against a group of home invaders/looters
Click to expand...

Whatever - there are no quick fixes, becoming adept, at unarmed combat, use of edged weapons or fire-arms, takes a lot of time and dedication.

Not a buy , plug and play situation.
 
Sapphiron said:
For the first time in my life, I am considering a firearm for self defence, but I am terrified of the accidental death aspect.
Click to expand...

I have been anti-gun my whole life. After the rubbish that went down in KZN I am still anti-gun, but I am taking my first steps towards firearms training. Asked some friends who have more experience with guns where to start and have been recommended a shooting range that will sort me out.
 
zolly said:
I have been anti-gun my whole life. After the rubbish that went down in KZN I am still anti-gun, but I am taking my first steps towards firearms training. Asked some friends who have more experience with guns where to start and have been recommended a shooting range that will sort me out.
Click to expand...
If I may ask, why are you anti-gun?
 
zolly said:
I have been anti-gun my whole life. After the rubbish that went down in KZN I am still anti-gun, but I am taking my first steps towards firearms training. Asked some friends who have more experience with guns where to start and have been recommended a shooting range that will sort me out.
Click to expand...

Not attacking you, just wondering why you are anti-gun?

I detest bikers but I am not anti-bike. Would love to own a bike myself.
I detest Apple products and their fans, but Im not against people getting it.

People are also getting stabbed but Im not anti-knife. Got a few in my collection.
 
Sapphiron said:
For the first time in my life, I am considering a firearm for self defence, but I am terrified of the accidental death aspect.

Any thoughts on less lethal options like pepper ball guns. The ones that look close enough to chase away a knife armed opponent and will give you a fighting chance against a group of home invaders/looters
Click to expand...

If you stick to the rules that we all learn there will be no accidents.

Expand a little further on what you mean by accidental death. What are your concerns.
 
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