Revisiting the definition of a firearm in South Africa: a need for reform?
Abstract
South Africa‟s definition of a firearm is quite broad, yet it excludes various devices that
have the same lethal effects as a firearm. This is informed by the various principles that
have been developed by the courts in interpreting the said definition. It is argued that a
good definition informs the extent to which other aspects like licensing and usage may
be instructive. The central research question as regards the context of the definition of a
firearm, leads to an examination of three interrelated questions. These include the
definition of a firearm in South Africa, the relevance of experiences from other
jurisdictions and the need for a new definition of a firearm.