South Africa- Laws- Gunzzzz

A

AfricaPredator

New member
I have had a few people ask me about South Africa, laws guns etc, so I will try make this not to long in the tooth but to the point.

South Africa is in my judgement a pretty anti gun country, we have many many antis, but more cars & taxis kill people in SA than guns, so hey lets ban taxis- NO!!!! but yes to ban guns. The government is anti guns, and we have just had all gun laws changed, in SA we are not allowed to own semi auto rifles, this has been like this for decades. Auto shotguns or any weapon that can fire the second shot without being cocked is a no no. We cannot get that, but if you own a farm and have strong motive you may get a semi auto rifle. We must every 5 years re apply for our guns, and go through various tests and get documents etc, then the applications are re submitted and we await the outcome.

The problem is when you want to buy a weapon, heres an example, my cousin bought a rifle, has all papers and is a legal gun owned already. He has waited 2 years for his lisence to come, still he waits. What happens is here we go to the gunshop, buy a gun, he gives you the papers and you apply at the police station, they send your forms away and you wait- they keep you waiting in the hope you cancel your application, its all a bunch of bul#@$%.

Then after a year if you are very lucky you get a lisence, go to gunshoop and collect your rifle. Now you hope that he is still in business! as since 2004 hundreds of individuals have lost jobs because of the new guns laws.

We are also only allowed to have 250 rounds of ammunition in our safe, and if we have black powder we are only allowed a kilo.

For predators we have no times of year that we can hunt them, and in my areas we dont need special permits for red lights. Crows are also open to hunts all year.

When I last heard we had in total 14,000 applications waiting for re lisencing, that was June last year, and still they have nobody that can look into applications. Anyway only they might know!

So after the above little story are you not glad you dont stay here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
 
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What a shame. My sympathy to you all. Is this something that came about with the "new" government or has it been this way for a long time? In the past where the gun laws different for blacks and whites, or was every citizen direspected equally? What about concealed weapons for self-defense? Thanks alot for the post. It is an important reminder of what could happen here if we allow anti-gun people into government or any other positions of influence in our society.PC
 
Well under what context are you talking? It has always been this way with semi auto and auto rifles, and will be forever, I cant see a change.

I dont want to get involved with political stuff on our lovely forums, if you need to look punch in a few choice words on a search engen- that will answer many questions.

A pretty well backed up firearm application here now will take about 1-2 years to approve before you MAY get it.

With all gun laws many hundreds of thousands of people are just handing in guns to police to be destroyed, many people dont want to go all the new routes to get a new lisence.

And whats more is the cost of each lisence! it is very expensive, and even more to just re lisence a weapon.If they feel you are no longer having a valid reason for it you must get rid of it. And nobody wants to buy guns here anymore as to get a lisence is a problem, so no buyers only sellers or give em uppers! So you lose both ways.

Think about it, you have a few weapons that you get from your family, now somebody can tell you to get rid of them as they have decided you dont need them! Rather harsh, no wonder so many people are leaving SA. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
 
Sorry, forgot to answer this part. We dont need conceiled carry permits here, you can carry a weapon concealed, its illegal to carry mex style ( without holster).
 
My sincere sympathy to you. I can't really believe the stupidity of ones elected officials /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
 
It's a grim situation. What I don't understand is why ... given your government's current hostility toward firearms... it is imopossible to get anything exported? I get a mailing from a dealer there about auctions .... and some of the offerings are great ... like ZAR Mausers but it is just a wish list because of the export restrictions. This is in sharp contrast to my experience with Australian dealers where their government seems only too glad to get the evil things out of the country and gone. It seems that S.A would at least see the advantge in export sales.
 
So let me get this straight . You purchase a gun. Then you jump through hoops and pay money with the hope of getting a license approved a few years later to take posession of the gun? But once you have a license for any firearm, concealed carry is OK?
The way it works here varies widely from state to state.

Long guns in general are not too difficult to obtain.

Handguns are more difficult. Background checks,sometimes waiting periods limits on how many guns a month or some BS.

Concealed carry varies depending on state, from "no license required"(VT,AK) to, "you must be rich and famous and have political connections"(NYC,NJ).PC
 
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I think if I understand you, this is what you are asking-if I get my lisence aventually for a gun then thats only what I need? NO- you need one for every gun, after we visit gunshop we pay full or deposit, then get papers, you get your papers together, go to police station, pay a fee with revenue stamps, he sends application to a body for approval, here it lays for 1-2 years now for approval. If you dont get lisence they keep your money, you must wait till the gun is sold to another guy to get back your deposit, that about another 2 years so after all this you have waited 4-5 years for a gun!

I purchased a rifle 5 years ago, I applied, after 3 months I called the central firearms offices, it had not yet arrived at them, I went to police station, the lady said she still has it on her desk!!!! as she is waiting for a few to send at once! Man was I angry, and we are paying these peoples salarys to be in these jobs. But as i say its all bul#$%^ they just make life hard and hope you cancel.

I then took it and sent it myself speed post, those days it took me 6 months to get the gun, today I wont even try buy a weapon, hey my cousins waited years!

About exporting, man I dont know, gunshops are NOT selling any guns here now, in my town they sell a new CZ 222 for R12000-00.( $1,967-00) needless to say it been for sale for many many years, but they wont discount any guns.

But I will say that many dealers in SA have had a good run in regards to guns till now, as many of them NOT ALL are not shy with severe prices. Hows that above price compare to USA. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Anyway- just be lucky you dont stay here. We had to have a lisence for black powder, then it changed, now all pre 1900 guns we dont, people went nuts buying BP guns, now they are changing that law and soon we will need a lisence for them again. So, again many guns will be handed in and destroyed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif.

Regards from gun friendly South Africa /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
I just hope it doesn't get as bad for you as it is now just to your north. Come on over here if they eventually take it all away. A desirable immigrant would be a welcome change.
 
Ok, I will give you a ring when I arrive, I will come across next week- do you have enough coyotes for me? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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Well, if the truth be told it has happened many times here people out of jail that did serious crimes applied for guns, got a lisence and killed people. Our laws are a mess here so is our government.
 
AfricaPredator, thanks for the synopsis of gun laws in SA. The scary thing is that in the US we are about one Dumocrat president away from the same thing happening. That statement isn't that accurate in light of the fact that probably the most oppressive gun law passed in recent history was passed by Rep. president George Bush senior. So having a republican in office doesn't exempt us from oppressive gun laws being created I guess.

We already have a few states that are close to having the same oppressive laws you speak of. Rabid efforts at creating new insane restrictions have been on hold since Bush Jr. has been in office but I fear those days are numbered. With the numbers of people soaring that are discontent with our current leadership, I dread the day the next Democrat takes office. If the Left has anybody that appears even reasonably competent to run in the next election the tables may just turn next election. Then we will be back to the old practice of sneaking gun laws through and attaching gun restrictions to other bills to get them passed. The antis are pecking away day and night and will never stop. Things can easily go 180 degrees in one 4 year term. Hopefully we are strong enough to hold them off.

If only they were as steadfast with their efforts on border control and health care. lol!

Good hunting
 
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