By Craig Pedersen
While firearm ownership has never been a “right” in South Africa, thousands of citizens rely on their self defense weapons to protect themselves – perhaps not anymore according to a new act due to be passed before parliament OK stop. Yes, stop reading about here. Simmer down, it’s not true – but it could be!
Firearm ownership in South Africa has never been a right – and quite probably it never will be either. The only protection that YOU have over whether or not you get to keep your firearms is by standing togather in numbers and having a voice. The day that a headline like this hits the papers – it’s too late. And it IS a reality. If we do not stand togather as a community then we may as well hand over our firearms now, find new sports and put our safety in the hands of the powers that be.
But here’s the thing. Fighting unjust rulings and administratively flawed processes in terms of our rights costs money – big money. The court challenges over the validity of green card licences, the challenge against expired white cards – and many more challenges yet to be fought cost. It’s easy to say “get a lawyer to volunteer” but these aren’t the types of action that can be fought by one attorney. They play out in the highest courts in the land and that requires researchers, junior attorneys, senior counsel and of course advocates. It takes hundreds of hours of preparation and days of court time – way too much to ask as freebies.
We have an umbrella to fight under and to be heard under. A PROVEN effective umbrella in GOSA. Yes, sure, maybe you don’t have the R500 a year “spare” at the moment – but if it was a choice between this newspaper headline being true or false – would you find it. Make a plan people – we need your support. GOSA is a transparent and accountable mechanism that is vital in the fight to keep our firearms and ensure that we’re dealt with fairly before the law – and we need you in it.
The GOSA mandate is clear:
- Represent Firearm Owners in a national body
- Lobby government at a national level for better licencing conditions and practices
- Ensure that licences are fairly and reasonably issued and processed
- Ensure that the CFR keeps to what it’s mandated to deliver
- Be the voice of responsible firearm owners
We have enormous challenged before us and we need to represent the right volume of members to be taken seriously. If you can’t afford a R500 a year membership at least take up a R100 a year membership – we need to register your support and fight the fight – because if we don’t, who will?
*Yes, the featured image is a Photoshop job. The context of the text should explain why.
palerider
•7 years ago
GOSA membership is the cheapest life insurance ever. If you own a gun yet cannot find R500 per year for this insurance policy, you should ask yourself some serious questions about your priorities.
KLAAS
•7 years ago
If the government can control the use of unlicensed firearm then it can be fine. If they can’t do it let the people who registered their gun be free to use the against their enemies which are criminals. Every day cars are hijacked people are robbed of their belongings, do the government controls that,No.
Jacques
•7 years ago
I agree fully. All , legal, firearm owners should join GOSA. They are the ones fighting our fight. I still have the green card and want a force to be reckoned with if or when they want to force me, and others, to change over to the useless white card system. We need unity and that’s why we need GOSA.
I believe that it’s my right to own a firearm as it is the next person’s right to dislike it.
Peter
•7 years ago
A force to be reckoned with is one that OPPOSES bad laws, not tries to fix it. It is one of attitude the FCA has absolutely nothing of use to citizens or firearm owners and every citizen should oppose this unwarranted inhuman government control. That cannot be done by preaching, advising and enforcing collaboration.
Brittius
•7 years ago
Reblogged this on .
Zoo Keeper
•7 years ago
You’re a bad man Gunservant. The sight of that headline nearly cost me a nice pair of trousers
Peter
•7 years ago
The GOSA mandate has never been as you claim. As a founder member I challenge you to produce this official mandate that indicates GOSA must in anyway practice suicide for firearm ownership by aiding and abetting unjust and unwarranted laws, government or the police. GOSA was initiated in the face of SAGA’s cowardice and stupidity in opposing unjustified useless laws. For not having the guts or sense to lead firearm owners into opposition but instead to drag them into collaboration and aid of an inhuman process. It is inhuman to deny anyone the right to life and self-defence based on a lie. Look what SAGA and SAHunt got us. A FCA and firearm owners so frightened they would not stand up and oppose or say one word in opposition to the FCA under any circumstances. People without leadership that is worthy of the name.
The only mandate GOSA ever had was to fight the FCA and any other useless firearm law. Something it’s officials are pretending never happened as they have neither the guts or smarts to oppose this bad law.
Ask yourself how long the ANC would have stayed credible and popular had it advertised it was going to streamline pass laws and make it easier to obtain a pass book for everyone. Which firearm owners are willing to invest 1 cent in cowardice and collaboration with iniquitous laws? That is what GOSA is asking you to do. I suggest you show them a middle finger until they decide the FCA needs to be OPPOSED in every way possible and collaboration is a death wish. What we need is balls, courage and determination not cowards who want to fix the FCA so it works…
There is nothing of any interest that can be gained in the courts for firearm owners. The FCA has no use or benefit to firearm owners or the public. It’s only use is to destroy the right to ownership. 10,000 firearm owners in the street have more power to change than all the lawyers in the world. How do you get one firearm owner into the street when you are so frightened you will not lead or show example of commitment. You want to fight by proxy and send the lawyers in. The clean hands approach……
You are even wrong on this right which was never denied by previous legislation which was SHALL ISSUE if some criteria was met. Age, criminal, record, mental health…. There never was a legal requirement for reason. SAGA never bothered to fight it and the SAP just introduced it. Firearm organisations have only a record of self-interest and cowardice and nothing more. I doubt while cowards are in control that will ever change.
Jacques
•7 years ago
And that is why I joined GOSA.
Thanks for being our voice.
Thanks for standing up to these bullies.