President's Report 2019

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the

PRETORIA ARMS AND AMMUNITION ASSOCIATION

ALGEMENE JAARVERGADERING van die

PRETORIA WAPEN- EN AMMUNISIEVERENIGING

8 Jun(i)e 2019

PRESIDENTIAL REPORT//PRESIDENT’SVERSLAG

1. SAPS
   1. Negative attitude of certain members of FLASH and CFR of SAPS have caused a breakdown in communications.
   2. Last meeting being on 29 October 2018.
   3. SAPS terminate communications under the pretence that their attorneys told them so because of various court applications.
   4. We shall, however, continue with efforts to meet again, especially if one bears in mind that the mutual beneficial consequences.
2. CIVILIAN SECRETARIAT OF POLICE (CSP)
   1. Meeting of the CSP with representatives of the firearms community on 22 March 2019. (Provisional minutes are available on the PAAA website.)
   2. The chairman (Secretary of the CSP) neither admitted nor denied that the FCB that, at the time, was with the MinPol, was the dreaded one that was leaked. All of us were convinced that the bill was in fact an official document and that it probably was with the MinPol.
3. LEGISLATION
   1. Draft bill (leaked) that seeks to amend the FCA. This bill that was leaked sometime last year, put the cat amongst the pigeons because of its draconian and drastic provisions, such as the scrapping of section 13 licenses; micro-dotting and ballistic sampling of private firearms; almost total banning of prohibited and restricted firearms from private possession; scrapping of section 17 (4) – use of collectable firearms for lawful purposes; among others.
   2. Draft regulations that seek to amend the PSIRA regulations. This bill seeks to amend the PSIRA regulations by prescribing to private security service providers what firearms may be possessed and used by their personnel. What supports my opinion that the so-called leaked bill is with MinPol is that the provisions of this PSIRA bill refer to the leaked bill. One may surmise that this is a good idea since a fair number of firearms are lost by private security personnel, however, because private security is mostly first on crime scenes, especially violent ones, the idea is not so good. It once again shows the degree of interference by government in the affairs of private enterprise. It is not unlike the interference in the private affairs of free law abiding and responsible citizens.
4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
   1. World Forum for Shooting Activities (WFSA): Through SAGA, which is a member of the Executive of WFSA, NAACCSA has access to international information and assistance, if necessary. The PAAA book, Firearms Designed and Developed in Southern Africa, which has, within two years after release been regarded as Africana, has also featured at discussions of WFSA.
   2. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT): This UN-based treaty was eagerly signed by SA and various other countries, but, as with most such treaties, when it comes to implementation and compliance, they are lagging. The treaty is yet to prove that it has done anything to prevent armed conflict, war-crimes, genocide or the illegal supply and provision of weapons to terrorists or warring states. China and Russia, who are major arms suppliers, have neither signed nor complied with the treaty; and in the meantime, the USA have withdrawn from the treaty.
   3. European Union (EU): Soon after the Paris terrorist attacks the EU decided to adopt very strict rules regarding the possession, sale and distribution of military-type firearms, especially military look-alike semi-automatic rifles. Since there were indications that deactivated military firearms had been re-converted to their original state, there was great emphasis on rules preventing such re-conversion. This has, up to now, been rather unsuccessful since states such as the Czechoslovak Republic, have objected strenuously, and even threatened to leave the EU. This demonstrates, once again, that any attempt to control instruments such as weapons, is futile. The emphasis should be on people doing evil deeds, not on objects.
   4. National Rifle Association (NRA): The NRA is the oldest firearms rights organisation in the world and because of SAGA’s close relationship with it, we benefit greatly from information we receive in advance from it. However, what we find disconcerting, is the degree of discontent that currently exists within the ranks of the NRA. Not only did Lt Col Oliver North resign as President, other Board members followed suit. It seems that the discontent is not caused because of lack of directive or wrong policies, but rather because of personalities. We trust that they will resolve these issues so they can continue their fight against civil disarmament.
5. PAAA CONSTITUTION
   1. Because of expected amendments to the FCA, the MC decided to implement the amendments to the Constitution in stages.
   2. Bear in mind that all amendments have in principle been discussed and approved at previous meetings and the members authorised the MC to continue and present the amendments for adoption.
   3. Should this first phase be adopted, the revised Constitution will be posted on the website.
   4. The first phase is complete and comprise, among others, the following:
      1. Art. 3 – Membership to specifically provide for “law abiding and responsible” members.
      2. Specific reference to “members in good standing”.
      3. In addition to the constitutional amendments, the regulations will also be amended to provide for the “points system” in terms of which a member will be a person in good standing only if s/he acquired at least five (5) points in a specific year. Should a member not have met the minimum criterium, s/he will no longer be regarded as a member in good standing, and her or his name will be forwarded to the Registrar.
      4. Art 3 bis – Dedicated procedure for collector classification.
      5. Art 6 – Office bearers
         1. to provide for two activity coordinators, one for practical events and one for knowledge of firearm collecting events.
         2. Provision for an executive president: (i) elected by members at an AGM; and (ii) dedicated executive powers.
      6. Art 9 – Specific provision for activity coordinators.
6. SAGA
   1. SNIPPETS: Posted on PAAA website
   2. ACTION TO PROTECT FIREARM OWNERS RIGHTS: Support SAAADA in new interdict application regarding substitution of barrels by gunsmiths.
   3. Legal insurance.
   4. HuntEx 2019
7. NAACCSA
   1. NAACCSA’S ROLE IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF FIREARM AND AMMUNITION COLLECTORS
      1. Continued commitment to protect all private firearm and ammunition collectors, by representing them at all governmental and international fora.
      2. And, if necessary, in litigation.
   2. NAACCSA’S ROLE IN PRESERVING OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE
      1. Provision of expert firearm examiners on behalf of SAHRA to examine seized and confiscated firearms prior to destruction.
      2. PAAA must ensure that we have –
         1. a leadership succession plan, and
         2. suitably qualified members to fulfil the task to examine seized and confiscated firearms destined for destruction on behalf of SAHRA.
      3. Despite SAPS’ negative attitude towards the allocation of firearms to private collectors to keep and maintain them as part of the National Estate on behalf of SAHRA, NAACCSA will continue to pursue this route, in the protection of our heritage.
      4. United Firearms Forum (UFF): NAACCSA is fully committed to ensure cohesion and unity within the ranks of the firearms community to create a united front against government’s disarmament initiative.
8. CONSEQUENCES OF NOT OR NO LONGER BE A PERSON IN GOOD STANDING WITH AN ACCREDITED COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATION

Section 17 (1) (a) of the FCA defines collectable firearms as “A firearm which may be possessed in a private collection is any firearm approved for collection by an accredited collector's association, based upon such historical, technological, scientific, educational, cultural, commemorative, investment, rarity, thematic or artistic value determined by the association”.

According to the regulations to the FCA a 'person in good standing' means a person who-

“(a) is and remains acceptable to an accredited hunting association, sports-shooting association, professional hunters’ association or collectors' association as a dedicated member, professional hunter or collector, as the case may be;

(b) complies with the aims and objectives of the Act in respect of his or her status as a dedicated hunter or dedicated sports person, professional hunter, or collector, as the case may be;”.

Reg 5 (1) (b) prescribes that an accredited collectors’ association “will only allow membership of a person to the association as long as the person is in good standing as a member of the association”.

Regulation 5 (2)(a) provides: “An accredited collectors' association contemplated in section 17(2) of the Act must in addition to regulation 2(12)(a) and (b) annually, within 90 days from the official year end of the association or such extended period as may be agreed to with the Registrar submit to the Registrar a written report reflecting-

(i) the details of all members whose registered membership with such accredited collectors’ association terminated; and

(ii) the reasons for the termination of such membership”.

A classified collector, therefore, needs to fulfil all the accredited collectors’ association’s criteria with regards to membership and being a person in good standing.

Failing to meet the criteria of the Association as to what it considers to be a person in good standing, a classified collector becomes an ordinary member who does not have any of the privileges that classified collectors have. An ordinary member may, for instance, not possess more than four firearms, excepting if he also is a dedicated hunter or sportsman. Because the member’s “registered membership with such accredited collectors’ association” has terminated, the reporting will be done as aforesaid, however, a period of grace of one year is allowed for such member to prove that he in fact is a person in good standing. The former collector may be instructed by the Registrar to dispose of all excess firearms within 60 days.

In addition, the PAAA’s management faces reporting under regulation 2 (11)(a) - “in respect of the responsible person and all members involved in the management thereof who-

holds [sic] a competency certificate, licence, permit or

authorisation issued under the Act; and

had been the subject of disciplinary action involving a contravention or failure to comply with a provision of the Act or any condition specified on a licence issued to the applicant under the Act, or conduct contemplated in sections 102(1), 103(1) or (2) of the Act”.

I conclude with an extract from The Book of the Lion, by Sir Alfred E. Pease, quoted in Between Two Fires, The African Saga of Margarete Trappe, by Fiona Capstick:

“The generation to which I belong

has seen Africa yield up her secrets; and the

survivors of this generation, who have witnessed the passing

away or transformation of many of the great game regions,

alone can tell of what our generation has done

and seen, and which those who come after

can never do or see again.”

Let this not be true of our generation of firearm collectors.