I think that you are correct on this issue as I just had clients go through Jo-burg to Botswana and they were asked for their gun permits from Botswana. Lucky for me and for them, I had heard of this rumor and we had already gotten them their import permits for their guns in advance. They were not the original permits and were just copies, and they accepted the copies. So, it appears that they will accept just a copy of the gun import permit to show that you have gotten one. The next clients scheduled to leave are also just taking copies of the permits for Botswana. So I would go ahead and get your PH to fax you a copy if he can to be of the safe side.

Saeed,

In retrospect, I suppose I shouldn't be complaining after all the hoops the foreigner travels have to go thru here in the US after all the 9/11 regulations came into play.

Will- are you saying that RSA will accept a gun import permit from a PH rather than from a government official?

Will,

They had this requirements 2 years ago for guns shipped through SA.

Every year we went to Zimbabwe, I usually shipped my rifles ahead, going through SA, without any hassle.

Two years ago, a friend in the airline industry told me to shipped the rifles at least 3 weeks ahead of us, as SA has started requiring permits from the countries the guns are going to.

I did not have to do anything, he was kind enough to have people in his office in both Zimbabwe and SA sort it out.

I think next time I go to Zimbabwe, I might fly through Nairobi or Dar Essalam.

I received an email from the namibian Association of Professional Hunters and they told me they would issue the pwermits in Windhoek. I am a little nervous about this, even though my luggae should not need to be claimed in SA and I am simply transferring flights and ocntinuing on. Lots of confusion here.

11 days and counting until I find out for sure.

Also, The Association says two rifles of same caliber are okay in Namibia, but if they get nailed at SA I don't know if namibia's rules will matter.

Will,

I think any of us, who are law abiding citizens, of any country, going on lawful hunting trips, find all these laws totally unreasonable.

But, there is very little we can do about them, except may be choose a different country to fly through or hunt in.

We are lucky in that we have direct flights to a lot of African countries. I think we might have direct flights to Zimbabwe later this year too.

Sheldon- Please keep me posted on what you find out as SBT and I are leaving for Namibia mid May. Thanks!