Airport Cape Town: Early morning in April 2007

Probably the only one there that has any idea of what he is doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my experience this was probably his position and level of excitement when there were 40 hunters with guns waiting for their SAPS permits!

Talking about Central Firearms Control (CFR), new license applications for SA citizens are handled in Pretoria by them as well.

A young fellow inherited the family sheep farm in the Karoo. He had only one firearm, a 38 special snubby licensed for self defense. Once on the farm, he applied for a license for a 243 rifle, mainly for control of jackal and other predators that raid stock and for the occasional springbuck or blesbuck for himself. As required by the new law, the application was accompanied by an extensive motivation setting out these reasons.

The application was refused and, also required under the new law, a reason for the refusal must be given. The reason given was that he already owned a firearm for self defense and only one is allowed under the new laws.

In RSA the new process for licensing your firearm as a visiting hunter is stunning. Lat week I arrived from Harare to Joberg and was the only hunter in the SAPS office. With perfectly prepared papers, invitation letter, motivation letter and 4457 it took just over an hour to issue my license. Then the check-in, check-out, check-in process I faced for my flight to Durban was insane. I can only imagine the nightmare it must be in the SAPS office when a plane load of hunters converges on the place. I doubt I will ever go to the trouble to take a rifle to South Africa again and would never choose to hunt there again if it were not for the fact that a good friend resides near Durban. I am certain Namibia is reaping the benefits of South Africa's misguided attempts at world gun control.

Perry