When your Self Defense License is too late....

[Tommie]

Many people apply for new self defense licenses every year. They all apply for the same reason, the need to defend themselves and their families against violent criminals. They have to wait for month’s even years to receive their licenses. During this unnecessary long waiting period some people have not the privilege of escaping violent attacks on them and their families.

I have seen a self defense firearm at a dealer, bought by a well known businessman in Muldersdrif, Gauteng. He was unfortunately been murdered on his farm on returning home from somewhere. He awaited the approval of his license for a long period of time. If he received his license faster from the CFR, couldn’t there been a chance that he would have survived this attack?
Isn’t the organization involved in this slow processing responsible that he wasn’t able to defend himself against the attackers?

What are your thoughts?

[ikor]

My thoughts are 'yes they are directky responsible'...but then that is what they want...defenseless citizens will always vote rfor more power for the government, and with it, more restrictions...Marxsists at work. The bad guys already HAVE guns...why not the good guys?

[mic]

One of my female family members applied for a sd pistol (6.35mm) April 2006. Upon enquiring last week Fryday at the CFR, I was told that the application is still at the Lyttelton police station.

This is for a new license.

[Corné]

I do think that the CFR should take blame/responsibility in this instance. The CFR does not take this issue serious and its inefficiency is causing people to be defenceless. There is no 100% proof that you will be 100% safe with a firearm but you do increase your survival rate but the CFR takes an attitude of ignoring this and want you to seek alternative way's. Unfortunately alternative way's can give you only so much protection and the SA situation requires a step further. The CFR does not give a crap about your safety and only wants to please the government with statistics about licenses granted and denied.

[Brad76]

Jaco and charles should have their pants sued off....problem is the won't care as the taxpayer foots the bill, would be a different story if they were held personally liable!!!

If I was your friend waiting for my SD pistol I'd contract the services of a lawyer to force a result!

Rumour has it Whacko Jaco had his SD firearm approved under the new act. I wonder how long he had to wait or how many hoops he had to jump through to get his license approved? I'm willing to bet he submitted in the morning and by lunch time had his card in his hand!!!

[Longshot]

No way the CFR will accept resposibility, that would be like handing a stick to every SD applicant to beat them with happy0065.
Have seen an newspaper article in the BFn policestation about an SD license being awarded shortly after the applicant was attacked. Think the guy waited 2 years for his license.

[Corné]

Longshot,

I agree with you, the CFR will not accept responsibility. The problem is how do you efficiently and effectively take on this monster that is called the CFR? It tends to be this faceless monster that does what it wants and does not justify its own actions.

[abhm]

No way the CFR will accept resposibility, that would be like handing a stick to every SD applicant to beat them with happy0065.
Have seen an newspaper article in the BFn policestation about an SD license being awarded shortly after the applicant was attacked. Think the guy waited 2 years for his license.

Guys again you are going into the spin dryer mode getting all worked up about media reports you have got to relax about this
All you can do is be the best and most prepared during your license application and follow your channels.

Cruel as it sounds the CFR has got absolutely nothing to do with your self defence, HALLO you have a brain, it was not licensed or issued to you, God created you with a formidable weapon learn how to use it. Yes SD firearms are a real need but being without them does not render you impotent! Also the CFR does do the stats thing guess what THAT is their job.

Mic, have you actually been down to the station made an appointment with the CO and asked her? Supt Lamprecht is her name she is extremely helpful.

I spent some 35 minutes there recently (Monday) during my time the staff were great very helpfull and friendly
During that time an applicant came in and their motivation for the firearm was "I inherited it! full stop", two chaps walked in demanding their licenses extremely rudely shouting and talking at the people as if they were idiots!

Here are some governing principles for communication with people and it works a treat on officialdom
Be prepared
Be friendly
Be succint
document and diarize (reciepts, reference numbers etc)
follow up (if you feel the service was good say thank you if you feel it was poor dont rant and rave, write a note with the facts!)

How well prepared and how much effort did you put into your motivation letter? was it a few pages of disjointed aspects or a well organised well presented reflection of the facts and your arguments.

At the end of the day you will get the reaction that your attitude engineers, if you approach an interaction in an overly aggressive, abrasive fashion you will get one of two reactions, a dismissive toss to the back of the pile reaction or an aggressive combative reaction neither of which will do your application process any good. Their is a time and place for aggression, administration is not one of them! see IKOR's lecture on the colour principles, dont go in there looking for a fight you will only get one!

I recently heard of a chappie who had his entire process from submittal to receiving his new license done in 3 months.
SWATG recently told us of how quick his reapplication was done.
I can almost bet in both those cases they followed these principles

If you are battling with the compilation of your motivation letter I would strongly suggest you speak with a provider who can assist you, yes it costs money but at least you will get it done to a good level.

At the end of the day you cannot control how a person feels or acts but you can control how you interact with them and make it right on your side and you can influence the reaction you get.

Let me illustrate this with a few pointers
As some of you know my work takes me into Africa and the Middle East extensively, now everyone goes on about corruption in Africa well in my experience bribery only gets you into trouble and opens you to comprimise, human relationships are far more valued and far more durable
To emphasize this I went out of my way to get to know the commander of the airport gendarme (police) in a certain country, he did not want bribes and he got none from me, he expressed an interest in stories of the SAPS so I organized a t shirt and a desk emblem for him, he didnt ask for it I organized and sent it to him. Now when I go to that airport I e mail him ahead of time, I get met on the plane by his members, taken down to the VIP lounge where I have tea with him and one of his guys takes my passport to be stamped and then a police escort to my hotel. When I leave its a reverse of the process. This is pretty much the treatment I get in all my regular destinations and I have never paid a cent in bribes, not one! all how you approach people and the reaction you engineer

anyway my 02

[gizmo16]

abhm,

There is truth to what you say, but would you argue that the CFR is competent in its duties? I would hope not. Certainly the time frame we are talking about (and its normally a year+), is beyond unreasonable. I put a lot of time into my application, and also did accredited training, and prepared a very good motivation, have never been arrested in my life. The local station was friendly enough and had my application in Pretoria within 2-3 months, where it sat for another 10 before it was finally approved. You will not find many people who got their license within 3 months, that I can guarantee you.I had patience, mind you, but only because it was explained to me by others that I would have to wait a very very long time.

I promise you, you can apply and be as friendly as you want, your application is still going to get put in drawer in Pretoria for an age. I called frequently to check up on my application, got the standard "they are working on it" response. No matter how much I asked (nicely) about the progress, or who could help me with speeding it along, I got nowhere. Friendly be damned.

Now surely if you believe that a gun is a powerful weapon in terms of self defense, then you would agree being without one is a major disadvantage? If not, why would you carry for self defense? Of course the CFR is partially responsible for a death that it could have helped avoid by letting this individual exercise his right to arms. Why else would they jump in and approve licenses so quickly AFTER an attack?

Yes our own safety is our responsibility. Does this mean that the individual in question should have bought an illegal firearm, or locked himself up in his house all day with his pepper spray? There is certainly no way to be 100% safe and prepared for anything at all times, but having a semi automatic pistol on your hip sure helps.

[Tommie]

+1
excellent reply.