Newsletters

NHSA Newsletter

VOL. 14 (19) - 12-06-2018

SAPS REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE LEGAL VALIDITY OF GREEN LICENCES

Dear member,

Please do not let SAPS bully you into handing in a firearm of which the white licence had lapsed but for which there was a green licence issued under the 1969 Act.  Inform the Natshoot office immediately of such an incident at [email protected] with full factual particulars of incident.

As indicated in NHSA Newsletters time and time again, since 2012, green licences (or licences pasted into old blue ID-books) issued under the 1969 Act, are still legally valid, because of the court order in the SA Hunters urgent court application of 2009 (see legal facts concerning this statement in the NHSA Newsletter Vol. 14(16)). 

This is true for all firearms which were once licensed under the 1969 Act, even if you do not still have the green licence card or the pasted licence in an old blue ID-book in your possession. 

SAPS have on record your application for renewal of your licences from the 1969 Act to the 2000 Act in the Transitional period when you renewed your licence(s) (2005 to 2009 when we all stood in those long ques to renew licences). 

Even if you did not renew your previous licences issued under the 1969 Act in the Transitional period, SAPS must have that on record too, indicating that those firearms were licensed under the 1969 Act.

If SAPS refuse to acknowledge the legal validity of your green licence (or of a licence paste in an old blue ID-book), for any reason what so ever, you must please immediately inform the Natshoot Office of such an incident.

Send Email to [email protected] in, which you indicate the following:

-   Name and ID number

-   Police station, name of police official, date and time.

-   Shortly explain what had transpired and why SAPS did not want to acknowledge the legal validity of the green licence (or of a green licence of a person from who you are taking over a firearm or who wants to take over a firearm from you, irrespective if there is also a valid or lapsed white licence for that specific firearm).

-   Attach an authenticated copy of the specific green licence (front and back), or of the licence in the old blue ID-book.  The copy of the licence MUST be authenticated, preferably by a SAPS official accompanied by a SAPS signed date stamp.

We can only try and assist you if we have these precise facts concerning the specific incident.  Incomplete facts on this issue are unfortunately of little legal value and we shall thus, not be able to assist you correctly.

Remember that you may legally use and transport a firearm with a green licence if you still have the green licence or the licence pasted in an old blue ID-book.

If you only have a white licence for a firearm of which the licence had expired but for which you have applied for renewal on time, and you have not yet received the renewed licence, carry an authenticated copy of the receipt you received at renewal, and your lapsed white licence with you as proof that the firearm is legal and that you had renewed on time, and are awaiting re-issue of the renewed licence.

Kind regards
Natshoot Office

This Newsletter sent to all members by Email on 12 June 2018