How strict are gun laws in South Africa?
Restrictive
Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
South Africa is one of 87 countries classified “Restrictive” for civilian gun ownership — 43% of the 202 with data. (Also searched as firearm laws.)
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
Nearby countries
- Lesotho
- Restrictive Lesotho requires a good reason for firearms, with handguns limited to revolvers and long guns to shotguns.
- Botswana
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- Eswatini
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Namibia
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Zimbabwe
- Licensed / moderate Handguns are obtainable under license, but self-defense alone is not explicitly sufficient for a license.
- Mozambique
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
Other laws in South Africa
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Not used
Every law in South Africa → · How strict are gun laws around the world? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.