SAPS539

**deonh** · 27-03-2009, 15:01

Does anyone know what the current hullabaloo surrounding SAPS539's is all about?  Clearly some big-wig at CFR had a brainfart and issued an instruction of sorts, which is sending a spasm through provincial DFOs.  A buddy yesterday was flatly refused an SAPS539 from his DFO and was instructed that the firearm MUST be stored at the police station.  And another buddy (today) was told something along the lines that after 1 July 2009 all SAPS539's will no longer be valid and firearms being stored under SAPS539 must be handed to the SAPS for further storage?!  The afore-mentioned is obviously BS for a number of legal reasons but then again, when have the CFR ever played by their own rules?  The odd thing is that this very morning my DFO signed an SAPS539 without a blink and made it valid for a full year.

Obviously someone with a big chair and a small penis at CFR has realised that the issuing of SAPS539's does create a legal vacuum come 1 July (as discussed on this forum already), esp. if the existing licence-holder hasn't applied for renewal, which is 99% of the case methinks.

Have any of the clever and connected okes on this forum heard what exactly is going on up in Pretoria regarding 539's?

**Lone Ranger** · 27-03-2009, 15:07

pertinaent question. will someone please clarify asap

bhignett... who pissed in you porridge this morning?

**makeminea10mm** · 27-03-2009, 15:10

This morning, what records did they take / keep regarding the 539's?

**deonh** · 27-03-2009, 15:46

MM10MM, no records as per the norm with previous 539's I have in my safe. All the DFO kept was a copy of the 539. I got the original and a copy.

Lone Ranger, no-one, why? I'm as happy as a clam hpy71 I'm picking-up a new .40 tomorrow morning! I'm as happy as Forest Gump with full box of chokerlaites... My verbiage when referring to the CFR and the whole crazy process is pretty much SOP fighting0035

**Lone Ranger** · 27-03-2009, 16:23

now i'm envious... what .40? tell me tell me tell me

from all those 539's you're holding, anything for sale?

**deonh** · 27-03-2009, 16:35

Vektor SP2 (General), it was a coin flip between a Vektor or a Glock in 40.  I realised that I actually already have a penis so I went with the Vektor.  Neeeh, nothing's for sale at the moment.  I'm a user not a pusher.  But look around mate!  People are quite literally GIVING guns away.  When I was at the cop-shop this morning I could've walked away with bakkie-loads of ordnance.  Just keep your earballs peeled!  nj

**Corné** · 28-03-2009, 07:52

I went for a SAPS539 24/03/09 for a Ruger SP101 9mm revolver that was given to me. The DFO signed without even looking up or interupting her phone call. What I understand from a person within the trade is that although the license of the current owner expires at the end of June 2009, as long as you have your application submitted before that time (a new application), then the SAPS539 remains valid and you can store the firearm.

I do however think that this might still be a thorny issue and I do think that somewhere down the line some changes might take place regarding the administration of the SAPS539.

**SWATG** · 28-03-2009, 07:56

dhignett, I have to disagree with you, a penis normally gets you into trouble, a Glock normally gets you out of trouble hpy71

**deonh** · 01-04-2009, 10:49

OK, after much phoning around, reading and hair-pulling this is the vague picture that I got about how the CFR intends existing SAPS539s to play out (there are, as per the norm, wrinkles and varying interpretations from DFO to DFO). If you have a firearm on SAPS539, irrespective of how long it is valid for, the cops will expect the license holder (i.e. the guy that you bought the gun from) on or before 30 June 2009 to sign that gun into the local police station for storage given that come 1 July, and assuming the license holder hasn't applied for renewal, there isn't a valid license for that gun. If you have applied for that gun and the license is issued before 30 June 2009 then you're good and can carry on as normal. A technicality with this scenario is that it would appear that neither the FCA nor many DFOs have made legal (i.e. in the FCA) or logistical (can your DFO safely store 1000 firearms?) provision for this exercise. The CFR are not crazy about the idea of people signing these SAPS539 guns into gun-shops for safe-keeping for the same reason come 1 July (the gun still doesn't have a valid license). Another technicality is what if the license holder refuses to transport the gun to the DFO or isn't around (i.e. dead or out of the country)? Ito the FCA only the licence holder can remove that gun from your safe. After 1 July such a person no longer exists?! Thus come 1 July you have an unlicensed firearm in your safe. On a positive note (come 1 July) you DO have a valid storage permission issued by the SAPS, so you are half legal. I feel though and the vibe I'm getting from the cops is that keeping a gun on SAPS539 (only) after 1 July will be a perilous legal option. This scenario isn't limited to guns on SAPS539 though and actually applies to all guns that people have bought where the existing license holder hasn't applied for renewal / your new license application hasn't been processed. What happens come 1 July? Remember with the cops, being right doesn't necessarily mean that you are right!

What is MOST important for people who have bought guns and have them in a safe on SAPS539 (or not) is that they actually apply for a licence for that gun ASAP. Don't hang around assuming that you've paid for the gun, you physically possess the gun and you have a legal and valid SAPS539 that it's all sunshine and roses. You must get your application in ASAP so that come crunch time the ball is in the CFRs court for being recalcitrant, unjust and unreasonable in the administrative actioning of your application.

This issue is also now prominently on SAGA's radar and apparently it's going to be an issue discussed at the AIM Show and an information notice will follow from SAGA as soon as possible. If you are going to the AIM Show head on down to stands 49 & 50 and chat to the SAGA reps there as they are currently in communication with the CFR to resolve this thorny issue.