The agricultural unions AgriSA and TLU SA are also taking aim at the government’s already highly controversial proposed Firearms Control Amendment Bill of 2025 that was recently made public. The unions reject any measures that will disarm law-abiding citizens while ineffective policing and the scourge of illegal firearms remain unresolved widespread problems.
By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
AgriSA and TLU SA may differ on matters at times, but they share strong concerns regarding the draft amendment bill.
In information provided separately to African Farming, these unions have now added their voices to similar concerns already raised by the likes of the SA Gunowners’ Association (Saga), the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SA Hunters) and the Democratic Alliance.
AgriSA, through its participation in the Business Unity South Africa Task Team, reports that it is actively engaging with the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) regarding the government’s proposed amendments to the Firearms Control Act of 2000 (Act 60 of 2000).
In a circular to its members, AgriSA states: “[Our] submission consolidates the [agricultural] sector’s concerns and recommendations to ensure that the legitimate interests of farmers, landowners and rural safety structures are represented.
“The proposed amendments raise several constitutional, operational and practical concerns that could severely impact lawful firearm ownership and undermine safety efforts across South Africa. While AgriSA supports responsible firearm regulation and improved competency verification, we reject measures that would disarm compliant citizens instead of addressing illegal firearms and ineffective policing.”
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AgriSA’s key concerns and recommendations include that:
- legal firearm ownership “must remain a right, not a privilege in a country plagued by violent crime”;
- the proposed requirement that applicants for a firearm for self-defence must first prove exceptional circumstances “is unjust and impractical”;
- the proposed amendments’ use of vague terminology like “valid” or “compelling reasons” create room for arbitrary enforcement by the state;
- arbitrary limits on the number of firearms that dedicated hunters, sports shooters and professional hunters may own “are unrealistic and ignore sectoral needs”;
- requiring one responsible firearm officer per site where private security operates for rural safety “is impractical and harmful to operational efficiency”; and
- only one-time sampling of a firearm’s ballistics should be conducted upon registration or transfer, and all at the state’s expense.
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Throwing Citizens to Criminal Wolves
On Wednesday, TLU SA published an open letter to Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, to draw his attention to various important challenges for the country’s agricultural sector.
Part of this letter states: “In these circumstances, an amendment bill regarding firearms is being proposed where the law-abiding residents of the country will be at the mercy of criminals who still have sufficient illegal firearms. The confiscation of firearms in any way, especially from our farmers, but also otherwise, can, given the realities of the crime, be seen as a crime against the residents of our country.”
Speaking directly with African Farming, Bennie van Zyl, general manager of TLU SA, elaborates that the amendment bill as it stands will be “throwing law-abiding citizens to the wolves, the criminals”.
He says that, given that the South African government is already failing in its constitutional obligation to protect law-abiding citizens – and that it is now proposing the amendment bill on top of this – the government has become “a big problem”. “All of this is totally unacceptable to us. From our side, we reject this thing entirely.”
TLU SA says that in South African agriculture, firearms are used far more widely than only for self-defence.
“On the farm, a firearm is a tool of the trade. It’s like a number 13 spanner for a mechanic. He can’t do his work without it.”
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