Many people in South Africa own a firearm or intend to own one in the future. However, the right to possess a firearm is not guaranteed by law, and such a right is granted under limited circumstances under provisions of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
When is owning a firearm illegal?
Under the Firearms Control Act (Act No. 60 of 2000), a person can be guilty of a firearm offence when they:
Firearms that are prohibited under the act include:
Registering a firearm
To register a firearm, a natural or juridical person may make an application to the Registrar of Firearms, and the natural person must possess a proficiency certificate issued after the successful completion of training by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) and a competency certificate issued by SAPS.
This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)
References:
Dolley, C. (2017). Gunmen involved in over 1 000 murders the focus of SA’s ‘biggest ever’ firearms investigation. [online] News24. Available at: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/gunmen-involved-in-over-1-000-murders-the-focus-of-sas-biggest-ever-firearms-investigation-20170731 [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].
Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000. (2017). [ebook] Cape Town. Available at: http://saflii.org/za/legis/num_act/fca2000192.pdf [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].
Loc.gov. (2017). Firearms-Control Legislation and Policy: South Africa | Law Library of Congress. [online] Available at: https://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearms-control/southafrica.php [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].