Getting a grip on guns: Rolling out the Firearms Control Act

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the implementation of the Firearms Control Act of 2000 in South Africa, which replaced the 1969 Arms and Ammunition Act. The document details the high prevalence of firearm-related deaths, public support for stricter gun controls, and the specific regulatory mechanisms introduced by the new Act to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and manage legal ownership.

• Firearm-related deaths in South Africa are more frequent than deaths caused by road traffic accidents or any other non-natural external cause. Data from 2000 recorded 18,876 fatal firearm injuries, representing 24-29% of all non-natural deaths.
• Of the firearm fatalities recorded in 2000, homicide was the most common cause at over 44%, followed by accidents (35%) and suicide (9%). Men were more likely to be homicide victims (49%), while women were more likely to die in accidents (44%).
• There is significant public support for stricter firearm controls in South Africa, with nearly 60% of the population believing civilian gun ownership should be banned. This support is higher among black respondents (61%) than white respondents (38%).
• The Firearms Control Act of 2000 introduces several restrictions on gun ownership, including a ban on fully automatic firearms and modified weapons like sawn-off shotguns. It limits individuals to one weapon for self-defence and a maximum of four firearms total for self-defence, hunting, and sports shooting.
• The Act implements a rigorous licensing and competency system, requiring individual licenses for each firearm and competency certificates that must be renewed every five years. Licenses for self-defence weapons must be renewed every five years, while those for hunting or sports shooting are renewed every ten years.

APA

Meek, S. (2002). Getting a grip on guns: Rolling out the Firearms Control Act. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/01-jul-2002-sacq-no-1/getting-a-grip-on-guns-rolling-out-the-firearms-control-act

Chicago

Meek, Sarah. Getting a grip on guns: Rolling out the Firearms Control Act. Institute for Security Studies, 2002. https://issafrica.org/01-jul-2002-sacq-no-1/getting-a-grip-on-guns-rolling-out-the-firearms-control-act.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Meek |first1=Sarah |title=Getting a grip on guns: Rolling out the Firearms Control Act |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=July 2002 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-jul-2002-sacq-no-1/getting-a-grip-on-guns-rolling-out-the-firearms-control-act |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{meek2002getting, author = {Meek, Sarah}, title = {{Getting a grip on guns: Rolling out the Firearms Control Act}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2002}, month = jul, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-jul-2002-sacq-no-1/getting-a-grip-on-guns-rolling-out-the-firearms-control-act}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }