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Your method of payment will be discussed first.
Buying cash will frequently lead to some discount on the shelf price
(Times are hard and cash speaks very loudly). Most gunshops will allow
you to pay a deposit of ±50% with the balance due within 30 - 90
days (varies from dealer to dealer). Some dealers also allow you to to
purchase on the lay-by method where monthly installments over a pre-arranged
period are the norm. With both the deposit and lay-by schemes you can of
course kiss your discount good-bye!
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Your particulars will then be entered into the dealer's Register No.
84 (his Stock book) opposite of the those of the firearm.
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You will then be presented with the dreaded License Application Form
(number SAP 271).
(Please note that this form is compulsory in terms of Act No.
75 of 1969)
The Application Form consists of 6 sections:
Section A is a description of the firearm:
the type (pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun - double or single barrel, etc.),
the action (bolt, automatic, semi-auto, cylinder - for air rifles, lever
and pump action), the caliber, the make, the serial no. and any particulars
engraved on the barrel.
Section B deals with the particulars
of the previous owner, whether it be a private person, a Corporate Body
or any other Body (partnership, trust, club, association, etc.).
Section C deals with your particulars
- the Applicant - in detail, irrespective of whether you are a private
person, a Corporate Body or any other Body (partnership, trust, club, association,
etc.). In this section you will also have to indicate the PURPOSE
for which the firearm is required and MOTIVATE
the above purpose.
Section D covers all the other relevant
particulars such your criminal record (if you have one), if you've lost
any firearm/s in your possession and/or had any firearm/s stolen from you,
if you have ever been declared unfit to possess a firearm, if you ever
have had a firearm confiscated from you, a list of the licensed firearms
in your possession, do you possess a prescribed safe or strong-room and
your marital status.
Section E covers some particulars regarding
your health.
Are you receiving any medical treatment for a nervous or mental
disorder at present?
Have you during the last 5 years taken any series of sedating, tranquilizing
or narcotic drugs or other medication for other reasons?
Are there any circumstances with regards to your health which could
influence this application?
You also have to sign and date your Application in this section
and declare under oath that the information you provided is true and correct.
Section F is for official use only
and basically acts as a recommendation by the official at the Police Station
of whether your application should be granted or denied.
Sections A &B are completed by the dealer from whom you bought
the firearm.
Sections C - E are your responsibility, and
Section F is filled in by the person in charge of Firearms License
Applications at the Police Station where you will hand in your Application.
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You will also be presented with a Notice in which it is brought to your
attention that you may be criminally prosecuted if you loose a firearm/s
through negligence. You are also notified that a motor vehicle is not regarded
as a safe place to store a firearm and that you will have to carry the
firearm on your person if you do not keep it properly locked away. Your
personal particulars are again required in detail and you have to sign
the Notice.
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Please note that you WILL leave the firearm at the dealer from which
you bought it while your Application is being processed by the Central
Firearms Registry. The Dealer is legally compelled to keep your firearm
until such time as you present them with your License.
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After you have completed your SAP 271 and Notice, you will proceed to
your friendly neighborhood Cop Shop to submit your Application. You may
go the the Police Station closest to your place of residence OR your place
of work. No other Police Station will accept your Application. If you did
not receive a Notice from the dealer, then the Police Station will issue
you with one (there's no escape from the paper war!).
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A set of your fingerprints will be taken for attachment to your Application.
In the case of a Corporate Body, the owner/manager or Responsible Person
will have to submit the Application. The same holds for any other body.
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Along with your Application, you will also have to submit a R50 revenue
stamp to cover the the Government's cost of processing your Application.
Bona fide Sportsmen and Hunters and Collectors only have to pay
R25.
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Please note that you will have to submit the appropriate revenue stamp
with EACH application.
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Your, and the firearm's particulars will be noted in a Register in the
License Applications Office.
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Your Application will then be signed by the Station Commander.
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Your Application will then be sent off to the Central Firearms Registry
in Pretoria.
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Your Application will be registered on their central computer system
and then passed on to the section that deals with the Applications from
your Province.
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At the Central Firearms Registry, your fingerprints are then separated
and sent to the Criminal Record Centre (also in Pretoria) where your criminal
record will be checked to see if the corresponding details on your Application
Form check with what is on record for you.
Please note that this measure is taken to
prevent the possibility of someone with a violent and seriously criminal
background legally obtaining a firearm in order to continue with his /
her nefarious activities.
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The checking of fingerprints may take up to 12 weeks, depending on several
factors. So, be patient.
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When your fingerprints have returned, indicating that you do not have
a record or that what you said in the Application matches with what's on
record, the process may continue.
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A decision is then made by the responsible officer / official for your
Province on whether to grant or deny your Application based on your purpose
and motivation for requiring said firearm/s.
It is of course not so straight forward! The calibers and types
of other firearms in your possession is also taken into consideration,
as are their suitability for the purpose of the firearm in the Application.
Please note that the Registry is not stupid! Unless you have very
good reason indeed, you will probably not get a license for a second 9mm
Para pistol for selfdefence or sport - irrespective of whether it is a
completely different make or model.
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If your Application was successful,
a license card will be printed with your name and ID number, the make of
firearm, the type, the serial number, the caliber and the date of issue.
This card will then be laminated in stiff plastic and sent to the Police
Station where you initially applied for the License.
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On receipt, the Police Station will notify you by phone or mail of the
license's arrival.
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You may then collect the license and rush off to the dealer from who
you bought the firearm.
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The dealer will then note the particulars of the license in his Register
84, ask you to sign and the issue you with your firearm. All off the foregoing
off course assumes that you and the dealer have squared up with the
financial side of the transaction.
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Congratulations! Your are now a proud, LEGAL, South African firearms
owner!
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If your Application is unsuccessful, the
Central Firearms Registry will notify you by mail, along with the reason
why your Application was unsuccessful (they are by Law compelled to provide
a reason for denial of Application).
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You may then Appeal against this decision in writing within 90 days
of issue of the letter of denial. You can submit your Appeal to the address
listed on the letter that you will receive.
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In your Appeal, you should include in detail why you want this firearm,
why your other firearms are unsuitable for the purpose that you have in
mind for the firearm that you wish licensed and any other pertinent information
that you think will benefit your Appeal. You may also include a letter
by an attorney in support of your Appeal, as well as testimonials by people
that know you well as to your competence as a safe and responsible citizen.
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If your Application was denied due to your criminal record including
Schedule 1 offenses (murder, rape, robbery, assault, sedition, etc.), then
there's not much that can be done or you.
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If your Appeal was successful, the process will continue as mentioned
previously.
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If your Appeal is unsuccessful as well, you will have to notify the
dealer and arrange with him / her to refund your money. Some dealers will
refund you completely, but others may withhold a small percentage as an
administrative fee. Check what the arrangement is with the dealer
before you buy!
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It is more than probable that a second Appeal will be denied as well
if your first Appeal is denied.
