Vol 11-02

NHSA Newsletter

VOL. 11 (02) - 13-01-2015

FIRST ROUND RENEWAL OF WHITE CARD LICENCES

A number of our members’ firearm licences, which were renewed in the transition period from the 1969 to 2000 Firearms Acts, will have to be renewed this year.  The transition period refers to the time when you had to apply to renew your old green licences to the white card licences issued under the so-called new Act (remember all the long queues and all the frustrations and long-long wait for the issuing of licences ??). 

This process of renewal of licences will for the next four years be in operation again, as Section 15 and Section 16 licences renewed in the transition period are only valid for 10 years.  Many self-protection licences, valid for 5 years, have already expired.

Yes it is already 10 years since the first implementation of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000).

Remember that you have to submit your renewal application(s) 90 days before the expiry date of your white card licences.  DO NOT get caught out with licences which have expired please !  Please do not get yourself into a position where you are forced to hand in your firearm because you are in effect illegally in possession of it.

And no the old green licences are not valid for firearms for which you have already been issued with a white card licence.  Green licences are only valid for those firearms of which the licences were not renewed during the transition period.   One cannot make oneself subject to the New Act (2000) by renewing one’s licences in the transition period, and then claim that the old green licence issued under the 1969 Act will still be valid for such firearms.

Your existing licence remains valid until SAPS renews your licence – no matter how long that might take (the renewed licence(s) will also be valid for a period of 10 years).

Please ascertain that you make a copy of the receipt for the payment(s) you will have to make for renewal(s), and that you at all times carry this copy of the receipt with your expired licence as proof that you have applied for renewal.  Otherwise it can be taken that you are illegally in possession of a firearm as the licence has expired (that is especially true for instances where you might be stopped in a road block of some sorts and you are asked if you have firearms in your possession)

You can be certain that the following documents will have to accompany your renewal application(s):

• Correctly completed SAPS 518(a) form (download from Firearms Licensing Page on the NSA website);
• Copy of your ID;
• Copy of proof of residence;
• Copies of all relevant training certificates;
• Copy of your competency certificate(s);
• Proof of paid-up membership of NSA (download from your personal NSA webpage) (and of other accredited associations);
• Copy of NSA dedicated status certificate(s)
• Copy of NSA confirmation of current validity of dedicated status (download from your personal NSA webpage);
• Proof of membership of clubs;
• Motivation explaining purpose and use of firearm, which includes a large section containing proof of use of firearm for purposes it was originally motivated for (don’t fold here – attach copies of receipts for hunting trips, of permissions to hunt and transport venison, letters from game ranchers saying that you hunted with them, photo’s of hunting trips with dates, shooting range registers, score cards, photo’s of you on the shooting range, etc.) (download your NSA shooting register as well as your activities register from your personal NSA webpage, when that function becomes functional shortly);
• NSA endorsement of your application and motivation.

 

PLEASE DO NOT FIND YOURSELF AT FAULT WITH THIS BY LAW REQUIRED PROCESS

GO AND LOOK WHAT THE EXPIRY DATES OF ALL YOUR LICENCES ARE RIGHT NOW !!

 

 

Kind regards

Herman Els