SAGA update on expired licenses

Dear Member,

On the 7th November 2018, GOSA released a media statement concerning their interim Order and Judgment obtained on the 27th July 2018, which Order was against the National Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Police.

SAGA had previously reported on the judgment from the 27th July 2018 in our SAGA news bulletins dated 29th July, 4th August and 10th September 2018 wherein we dealt with and reported on the written Judgment from the GOSA Court case.

It is not the intention of this release to discuss or deal with the GOSA media release from the 7th November 2018. We are aware that some parties have criticised the GOSA media release, but for the sake of clarity, and because we have received a number of queries from our members, we wish to advise as follows:

1.    The Judgment obtained by GOSA on 27th July 2018 obtained interim relief against the SAPS in that SAPS were prohibited from implementing any plans of action, or from accepting any firearms for which the licence had expired at its police stations or any place, and SAPS were prohibited from demanding that such firearms be handed over to them for the sole reason that the licence of such firearm had expired.

2.    The rest of the Judgment dealt with further relief that GOSA had applied for, but it was clearly indicated that the rest of the relief would be dealt with in the main application, once the main application had been set down for trial.

To be clear, we wish to advise that the Judgment from the 27th July 2018, does not allow or provide for any further relief. Thus, SAGA members or any person for that matter, who is in possession of a firearm with an expired licence, may still not renew the licence at their police station and they cannot apply for a licence for such firearm yet.

Therefore at this point, there is no possibility of SAPS accepting any applications for late renewal of a firearm licence after it has expired, nor will SAPS even process such applications.

As soon as we have been made aware of the trial date for the main application, we will advise our  members.

We will also be publishing another newsletter concerning the private bill of Dr. Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus, which Bill was discussed at Parliament on 6th November 2018. This bill seeks to amend Section 24 and Section 28 of the Firearms Control Act, and which Bill directly deals with the renewal of firearm licences, where either the application is brought late or after the licence has expired.

The SAGA Trust