Watch
Step through the slides. The trainer's words are under each one.
Carry, transport and store
Handgun, lesson 4 of 8: what the law and good sense require
Sipho's handgun is for self-defence at home, so most of its life will be spent in a safe or on his hip. The unit standard asks you to control, carry and transport your handgun safely and within the law, and control includes safe storage.
Carrying in public: covered and under control
- In a holster or holder on your body
- Or in a rucksack or similar bag
- Completely covered
- Under your effective control at all times
Section 84 of the Act says how you may carry a handgun in a public place. It must be in a holster or similar holder on your body, or in a rucksack or similar bag. It must be completely covered, and you must be able to control it at all times. Open carry in public is not allowed, and breaking section 84 carries up to two years in prison. If a police official asks, you must produce your licence and identify yourself, under section 107.
A good holster
A good holster does four things. It covers the trigger guard completely, so nothing can press the trigger. It is made for your model and holds it firmly. It is fixed securely, on a sturdy belt or inside the waistband, so it doesn't move. And it lets you holster cleanly: before you holster, finger off the trigger, and look to check that no clothing, drawstring or strap has got inside, because that can press the trigger as the handgun goes in.
When it's not on you, it's in the safe
- 1Not on youNot under your direct control
- 2Into the safeSABS 953-1 safe or 953-2 strongroom
- 3With its ammunitionBoth locked away
- 4Only you can open itOr it opens only with you there
When your handgun is not on you or under your direct personal control, regulation 86 says it and its ammunition must be locked in a safe that meets SABS 953-1, or a strongroom that meets 953-2. Only you should be able to open it, or it should only open with you present. Not locking it away, or losing it because you didn't, is an offence under section 120(8), with up to five years in prison.
Loaded or unloaded in the safe?
| Firearm | In the safe | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Section 13 self-defence handgun | May be stored loaded | Regulation 86(11) allows it |
| Any other firearm | Must be stored unloaded | Regulation 86(11) |
| Ammunition | Locked in the safe too | Regulation 86(1) |
Regulation 86(11) makes one exception. A section 13 self-defence firearm may be stored loaded. Every other firearm must be stored unloaded. Sipho's pistol will be licensed under section 13, so he may keep it loaded in his safe. If he ever gets a second handgun for sport, that one must go in unloaded.
In a vehicle
- On you, covered, under your control
- Or unloaded and cased
- Never left in a car unless locked in a bolted lock-away safe
In a vehicle, the handgun is either on you, covered and under your control, or unloaded and in a case. Never leave it in a parked car unless it is in a lock-away safe bolted to the vehicle: steel at least 2 mm thick, enclosing the whole firearm, with its own lock, as regulation 86(12) describes. A handgun in the glovebox or under a seat is an easy target for thieves, and if it is stolen you may be charged with losing it through negligence.
What the law takes seriously
These are the maximum prison terms in Schedule 4 of the Act. Not reporting a lost or stolen firearm within 24 hours carries up to ten years. Not locking your handgun away, or losing it because you were careless, up to five. Carrying it uncovered in public, up to two. A court may impose a fine instead, but a conviction can also lead to you being declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Sipho's plan
Sipho plans a SABS 953-1 safe in his bedroom cupboard, bolted to the wall and the floor. The code is his alone.
Sipho has a plan. A safe that meets SABS 953-1 will go in his bedroom cupboard, bolted to the wall and the floor, and only he will know the code. Anel tells him that is exactly right, and that the time to plan the safe is before you buy the handgun, not after.
Your turn
Before lesson 5
- Do the exercise: Lawful or not?
- Answer four quick questions on this lesson
- Apply: decide where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down
Your turn. Decide whether each situation is lawful or not. Answer four quick questions. Then decide where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down. Next lesson is the most important one: when the law allows you to use a handgun, and when it does not.
Do: Lawful or not?
Each of these is how someone carried, transported or stored a handgun. Is it lawful or not?
Check
Four quick questions. The reason shows as soon as you answer.
Apply
Where this shows up in your own life.
Decide where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down.
Ridgeview Firearms Academy and its people are fictional. This is study material written from the Firearms Control Act and the SAQA unit standards. It isn't an accredited course or legal advice; your accredited training provider runs the official tests.