No roses for those with gunz

2003-11-26 23:02

Borrie la Grange

Pretoria - South African gun-owners will face strict regulations under the new firearm law from March next year, and will be forced to reapply for licences every five years.

This is in accordance with the Law on Firearm Control of 2000, which comes into effect next year.

However, gun owners will not only have to re-apply, but they will also need to be accredited by training centres - or trained - in order to ensure they are responsible enough to own a weapon.

According to Jaco Botma, head of the central firearm register, applicants will also have to have police clearance.

He said people with family violence, drug- or alcohol-related convictions, for example, would not be allowed to own a firearm.

Botma also said an applicant would have to give reasons for wanting a firearm.

He said gun owners would be allowed one weapon for self-defence.

Hunters and those who shoot for sport will be allowed one for self-defence and only three others for hunting purposes.

Sports and hunting licences will be valid for ten years.

In the past, the law focused only on the registration of a firearm. The new law will focus on that as well as the owner.

No one under the age of 21 will be allowed to own a firearm, he said.

- Beeld