In a move that could hobble the film industry, the government is considering a blanket ban on the importation of blank guns, which it says are driving up criminal activities, particularly in the Western Cape.
Another option put on the table is for the International Trade Administration Commission of SA (Itac) to regulate the importation of blank guns through a permit system.
Whichever course the government decides to pursue, the proliferation of blank guns is set to be severely curtailed and limited to the SA Police Services (SAPS) and SA National Defence Force (SANDF) training.
The department of trade, industry & competition in a government notice said blank guns, which were originally intended for legitimate uses such as training by the SAPS and the SANDF as well as movie props, have increasingly been misused by criminals.
“In particular, there has been a reported increase in the use of imitation guns and blank guns in the commission of crime in the Western Cape,” the department said, highlighting that policing of blank guns is difficult because the guns are not regulated in terms of the Firearms Control Act. “By controlling or banning the entry of blank guns into SA, the government can reduce their role in contact crimes.”
The department’s notice also shows the SAPS is pushing amendments to the act through the Firearms Control Amendment Bill.
Conventional firearms
“The proposed amendments ... include measures that would place blank guns in a category similar to conventional firearms in terms of legal oversight, as well as measures directed at the importation of blank guns. However, the amendment process is ongoing and will require time to finalise. All the while, blank guns are being used to commit crimes.
“In light of the urgency of the matter, the SAPS approached Itac with a request for the immediate imposition of controls on the importation of blank guns, such as imposing specific conditions on the issuing of permits for the importation of blank guns or an outright ban on the importation of blank guns,” the notice reads
The proposal is part of SA’s efforts to address the violent crime rate, which is among the world’s highest and has been cited as one of the issues holding back tourists and skilled individuals.
Still, it risks introducing compliance cost burdens for the local film industry while television and streaming platforms are clamouring for local content.
By SA law, the department of trade, industry & competition minister is empowered to ban or otherwise regulate the importation of goods.
The notice also outlines the minimum regulatory requirements that must be met by individuals or entities seeking import permits for the importation of blank guns. These include that the person seeking to import blank guns must undergo an identity verification and that all importers must apply for and obtain a blank gun import permit from Itac prior to shipment.
The directive also puts the bar high on the intended use of imported blank guns, stating that acceptable purposes include training exercises by the SAPS, the SANDF or private security firms and film production.
“Any blank guns capable of being easily converted into lethal firearms shall be prohibited from importation,” it stated.
“Technical assessments may be required to certify that imported models do not pose a risk of conversion or modification,” the department said, with the public having two weeks to comment on the proposals.
“The commission [Itac] shall retain the right to conduct random inspections and compliance audits of importers, including reviewing records, examining storage facilities and seizing contraband items found to be in violation of this directive,” it said.
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