It is also important to know that you are not allowed to carry a firearm when alcohol is served to the public, as well as certain no-gun and no-gun areas. Despite many rumours, South Africans are allowed to carry a firearm in public. However, certain requirements must be met to comply with the law. First of all, to carry a firearm, you need a valid licence for that firearm. You must also carry the firearm in accordance with the Firearms Control Act, which states that the firearm must be carried in a holster designed to carry the firearm. The firearm must also be attached to the body and hidden. Open Carry is reserved for police, security, etc. As a civilian, you have the right to carry a firearm in public, but it is important to know the requirements, otherwise you could be on the wrong side of the law. Some people dispute the wording on this subject, arguing that possession is not the same as handling a firearm, which is currently a grey area. But anyway, I think we can all agree that carrying your gun when you know you`re going to get drunk is not wise for many reasons. And you`ll have a hard time explaining the difference between „carrying“ and „handling“ in a drunken state. The Gun Control Act 60 of 2000 and its regulations, as well as their amendments and regulations, provide the legal framework for firearms ownership in South Africa. All current gun owners, about 2.6-3 million according to South Africa`s Central Firearms Registry (which represents less than 6% of the population), are required by law to re-register their firearms.
Its constitutionality is currently being challenged in two high-profile cases. In South Africa, private weapons are prohibited by law in government buildings under the Public Premises and Vehicles Access Control Act 1985 (CAPPVA). [6] Although the Gun Control Act of 2000 allows firearm-free zones, this should not be confused with ACPPVA`s 1985 mandate, which made all government buildings and vehicles firearm-free by law without the involvement of the CFA, which emerged nearly two decades later. Under section 140 of the Firearms Control Act 2000, firearms-free zones may be applied for and must be granted free zone status by the Minister of Police. [7] Mention should be made of the difference between Weapon-Free Zones (GFZs) and Firearms-Free Zones (FFZs). GFZs are more voluntary and, according to Gun Free SA, „It is a civil offense to violate the unarmed status of a site, meaning that anyone who violates this law can be prosecuted under the laws prohibiting trespassing. Signs indicate to people entering this type of firearm-free zone that the space is free of firearms. People entering this room will not be asked if they are carrying a weapon and will not be searched for a weapon. While guns are not taken away from people, they know that guns are not welcome.
[8] [9] FFZs, on the other hand, are enforced by law and punished with severe penalties of up to 25 years in prison. Section 140 of the Gun Control Act 2000 allows police to search buildings or premises without a court order if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a firearm or ammunition is in a firearms production area; Search for anyone within an FFZ; and seize any firearm or ammunition contained in a free zone. [10] On 7 May 2004, the Minister of Police published in the Official Gazette Notice 749 of 2004 on a new law declaring all schools and other educational institutions, including universities, firearm-free zones within the meaning of section 140 of the Firearms Control Act 2000, entered into force on 1 July 2004. [11] To date, no firearms-free areas have been declared by the Minister. If you carry a firearm in South Africa, you should avoid excessive alcohol consumption and know where you are and where you are not, for example in no-gun zones, no-gun zones and places where alcohol is served to the public. Read on to find out how to carry a gun in public responsibly and, most importantly, legally! While it is recommended that you obtain a licence for the firearm you wish to carry under section 13: Self-Defence, there is no law that says that you cannot carry a licensed firearm in other categories, such as „Section 15: Occasional Recreational Shooting.“ Concealed transport? In South Africa, violent crime is widespread, forcing us to hide to protect ourselves and our families. Crime is so familiar to us that our society has adapted as more and more members learn to defend themselves against criminal elements with guns, knives and other weapons. Concealed port – hiding from the public? These days, the only people the public is happy to see carrying guns are law enforcement officers (and even that is a bit scary for the South African public). Open port is not allowed for civilians in South Africa. You are forced to hide the firearm in public.
Only police officers, military officers and registered security officers are allowed to open the port, unless you have been authorized to do so by the South African Police Service. Handguns from all shooting operations (except fully automatic weapons) are legal under all licenses. There is no magazine capacity limit for handguns. [5] In addition, you can only carry a firearm if you are not under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. After all, not only is it unwise to carry a gun under the influence of alcohol, but it is also illegal and punishable. You are also not allowed to carry a firearm if you are under the influence of another substance that has an intoxicating effect. As long as you have a valid licence for the firearm you are carrying, there does not seem to be a problem here. There is a lot of speculation about whether or not you will be allowed to carry a firearm approved for sport shooting, for self-defense. In fact, until recently, it was something I thought was illegal. However, I was quite surprised when I found out that this was not the case.
Concealed port – hiding from attackers? Hiding guns even for a demanding eye gives us the advantage of surprise. In a conflict situation, the greatest asset of the intended victim is the element of surprise. By combining surprise with the largest force multiplier available, a gun gives us the best chance of surviving an attack. An attacker will almost always evaluate and select victims perceived as easy targets. A intended victim who successfully hides a firearm from the perpetrator retains a distinct advantage. You can carry a firearm in South Africa as long as you have a valid firearms licence under the Gun Control Act. When carrying a firearm, it should be properly stored in a holster and hidden in public places. There are certain areas designated as firearm-free zones where you do not have access when carrying a firearm. The carrying of legally held firearms in South Africa is legal under all types of permits and does not require any additional permits.
No person may carry a firearm in a public place unless the firearm is carried: In fact, you can use any firearm for lawful purposes such as self-defence, as long as the firearm is licensed in your name, regardless of the licence under which the firearm is authorized.