“Our success or failure in fighting crime is, to a large extent, dependent on how effectively managed [the Central Firearms Registry (CFR)] is. …Its effectiveness cannot be compromised.

The news that newly proposed firearms legislation would no longer recognise self-defence as a valid reason to own a firearm, has been met with anger, despair, and disbelief. And not only by those who own a gun.

Any prospective piece of legislation must be evaluated from two perspectives. The first is whether the goal is to be supported.

The rioting and civil unrest that gripped KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng saw the destruction of numerous businesses and plenty of infrastructure.

A proposed amendment to the Firearms Control Act would gut shooting sports, and with them, one of the most effective tools for producing safe, skilled, and accountable gun owners.