The contentious Firearms Control Amendment Bill (FCAB) has resurfaced in South African politics, reigniting a heated debate over gun control and citizen safety.
The proposed legislation, which faced massive public opposition in 2021, aims to overhaul the Firearms Control Act of 2000. Still, critics say it unfairly targets law-abiding gun owners while failing to address the sources of illegal firearms.
At the centre of the controversy is the proposal to remove self-defence as a valid reason for obtaining a firearm licence. For many South Africans, particularly those living in high-crime areas, the move is seen as unreasonable and a betrayal by a state often unable to guarantee public safety.
The Bill, currently under review at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), introduces several stringent measures, including:
- Abolishing self-defence as a licence purpose
- Reducing licence validity periods
- Limiting ammunition purchases
- Tightening restrictions on collectors and sport shooters
- Expanding discretionary powers for the Police Minister
Opposition parties, civil rights organisations, and firearm advocacy groups argue that the Bill’s focus is misdirected. They point to persistent failures within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Central Firearms Register (CFR), which have seen thousands of state-issued firearms lost or stolen and later linked to serious crimes.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia acknowledged in a parliamentary response that most illegal firearms originate from sources unrelated to licensed civilian ownership. “The increase in illicit firearms entering the Republic is primarily caused by diversion from legal markets, through theft, fraud, straw purchases, cross-border trafficking, and illicit manufacturing,” he said. Cachalia added that firearms are “mainly smuggled from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho.”
Critics say this admission undermines the Bill’s rationale. Jonathan Deal, director of the Safe Citizen Campaign, warned that the legislation disproportionately targets law-abiding owners while leaving the true culprits — corrupt officials and criminal syndicates — untouched.
“Disarming responsible citizens will not stop violent crime. It may, in fact, worsen it,” Deal said. DA MP Ian Cameron, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, echoed these concerns, stating that the Bill would leave ordinary South Africans defenceless.
Proponents, including the Police Ministry, insist that firearm ownership is a privilege, not a constitutional right. Critics counter that in a country with one of the world’s highest murder rates, removing lawful self-defence options effectively strips citizens of their right to life and security of person.
During the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal unrest, private citizens and security companies frequently filled the gaps when police were overwhelmed — a cited example of why responsible firearm ownership remains a safeguard.
Deal emphasised that resources would be better spent on border controls, intelligence operations, and audits of state-issued firearms, rather than imposing “unnecessary and disproportionate burdens” on compliant gun owners.
The Bill is currently in a public participation phase at NEDLAC, with advocacy groups urging South Africans to submit their views, as widespread opposition in 2021 temporarily halted the legislation.