- In a holster or bag, completely covered
- Never openly carried in public
- Never left unattended, even for a minute
- Firearm and ammunition both locked away
- Bolted to the wall or floor
- Only you can open it
When the firearm must be in a safe
Whenever a firearm isn’t on you or under your direct personal control, the firearm and its ammunition must be locked in a safe or strongroom that meets SABS 953-1 (safes) or 953-2 (strongrooms) (regulation 86(1)).
Not doing this is an offence, and so is losing a firearm because you didn’t lock it away or keep the keys safe (section 120(8)).
Rules for the safe
- Only you should be able to open it, or it shouldn’t open without you there (regulation 86(11)).
- Firearms other than a section 13 self-defence firearm must be stored unloaded.
- Bolt the safe to a wall or floor, as the standard requires.
- A safe approved under the old Arms and Ammunition Act counts if SAPS has issued a certificate for it (regulation 86(8)).
Keeping someone else’s firearm
You may store another person’s firearm only with their written permission, endorsed by the DFO. You may not use it, and only the owner may transport it to and from your safe (regulation 86(4)).
Lock-away safes and vehicles
A smaller “lock-away” safe can be bolted to a wall, floor or vehicle body. It must be steel at least 2 mm thick, enclose the whole firearm and have its own lock (regulation 86(12)). If you have to leave a firearm in your car, this is the way to do it.
Carrying in public
- A handgun must be in a holster or similar holder on your body, or in a rucksack or similar bag.
- Other firearms must be in a holder or case made for that firearm.
- It must be completely covered, and you must be able to control it (section 84).
Open carry in public isn’t allowed. Firing a firearm in a built-up area or public place without a good reason is an offence (section 120(7)), and some places are declared firearm-free zones (section 140).