Question NW1546 to the Minister of Police

Reply:

The requested data is not available, for the period 1994 to 2002.

Prior to 1994, South Africa was divided into different states, namely South Africa, Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei. All these territories had their own separate firearm registration systems. In South Africa, the firearm licencing process was the responsibility of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), up until 1994.

After the assumption of the firearm licencing process, by the South African Police Service (SAPS), in 1994, a new system called the Firearm Register System was introduced. However, the information received from the DHA, was in a form of a spreadsheet, called a "data dump" and there was no application linked to a specific firearm. Therefore, the current Enhanced Firearm Register System (EFRS), does not contain records for the period, 1994 to 2002.

The number of private firearm owners, registered in the Central Firearm Register CFR), in the specified years, is as follows:

Specified period	Number of private firearm owners
31 December 2004	903 481
31 December 2006	925 285
31 December 2008	969 560
31 December 2010	1 069 077
31 December 2012	1 337 280
31 December 2014	1 425 822
31 December 2016	1 586 279

 

Reply to question 1546 recommended

GENERAL NATIONAL COMMISSIONER: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
KJ SITOLE (SOEG)
Date:23-07-2018

Reply to question 1546 approved


MINISTER OF POLICE
BH CELE, MP
Date: 27/07/2018