Firearms amendment bill tabled
07/06/2006 15:20 - (SA)



Parliament - Draft legislation to refine the controversial Firearms Control Act was tabled in parliament on Wednesday.

Among other things, the amendment bill extends the validity of certain firearm licences and does away with automatic disqualification to own a gun when an admission of guilt fine is paid.

According to a memorandum attached to the bill, it will require a person who holds an occasional hunter or sports-shooting licence to belong to an accredited hunting or sports-shooting organisation or association.

It will extend the validity period of a licence to possess a firearm for business purposes as a game rancher or hunter from five to ten years, and for other business purposes from two to five years.

Dealers', manufacturers', and gunsmiths' licences will be extended from one year to five years.

Another amendment is intended to address the problem prosecutors have with admission of guilt fines for minor cases of assault and other offences mentioned in the Act as affecting a licensed firearm owner's fitness to possess a firearm.

The bill proposes that where such an admission of guilt fine has been set, payment thereof will not automatically affect the person's fitness to possess a firearm.

However, the registrar will still have the power to enquire into the person's fitness to possess a firearm.

The bill further provides that all restricted and prohibited firearms in possession of collectors must be made inoperable so that they cannot fire cartridges, only blank ammunition.

Muzzle-loading firearms will be exempt from licensing, but owners will have to obtain a competency certificate applicable to these.

Such guns may only be sold by dealers, and permits to buy black powder for use in muzzle loaders may not be issued to persons without a competency certificate.

The bill also proposes to remove the restriction on the number of shots that a semi-automatic shotgun may fire in succession in respect of a dedicated hunter and sports person.

A shotgun able to fire up to five shots in succession without having to be reloaded can be licensed to a dedicated hunter or dedicated sports person.