As part of its mandate under the Firearms Control Act, the Central Firearms Registry (CFR) maintains working relationships with organisations across the firearms community. These include sporting, hunting and collector associations, which are responsible for verifying applicants’ credentials when applying for firearm licences under Sections 16 and 17 of the Act. Applicants must provide a certificate from a recognised association confirming their membership and active participation, and in the case of collectors, a categorised list of their collected firearms. The associations also endorse the suitability of a specific firearm for the intended purpose.

Additionally, CFR collaborates with the Professional Firearm Training Council (PFTC), an entity authorised by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). This partnership allows SAPS access to training records, ensuring that firearm applicants have completed the legally required instruction.

The development of the FCMS has, however, experienced technical delays primarily linked to scope changes during the design phase. According to SAPS, business processes originally planned for future phases were prioritised and brought forward into Release 01 of the system. This adjustment required extensive realignment and additional documentation, including more than 100 work sessions across six major process modules. The complexity and scale of these adjustments extended the timeline beyond initial estimates.

In terms of progress reporting and communication, SAPS is subject to a standing court order issued in August 2019, which compels the Police Ministry to submit bi-annual updates to the Deputy Judge President on the system’s development. These reports are shared with the South African Arms and Ammunition Dealers Association (SAAADA), a key industry body representing dealers, manufacturers, gunsmiths, and import/export licence holders.

Beyond the courtroom reporting requirement, SAPS has established a Project Steering Committee that includes representatives from SAPS Technology Management Systems (TMS), the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), and other relevant internal stakeholders. The FCMS Project Manager provides monthly progress updates to this committee, and any adjustments to the project timeline are communicated through formal Change Request Reports.

To enhance stakeholder involvement, SAPS established a Technical Work Team in September 2023, comprising industry representatives from dealers, manufacturers, and gunsmith associations. This team participates in user requirements workshops and will be involved in the testing of the system before each rollout phase is implemented.

The FCMS rollout will begin with a pilot phase in Gauteng, where the system will be trialled at three police stations. A dedicated learning and training programme is being developed to support the system’s implementation. This will include “train-the-trainer” sessions for SAPS staff in designated firearms offices across provinces, coordinated by the Firearms, Liquor and Second-Hand Goods unit, along with Human Resource Development and TMS divisions.

The broader public and other external stakeholders will be informed of implementation progress through official SAPS communication channels, including its website and other media platforms. The firearms licence application process will also be made available online as part of the new system’s public interface.

SAPS has reiterated its commitment to transparency and consistent engagement with all stakeholders throughout the development and implementation of the FCMS. The police service maintains that the system will not only modernise firearms licensing processes but also strengthen regulatory oversight across the country.

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Release 04 of the FCMS, scheduled for April 2026, is set to focus on enhancing decision-making capabilities within the SAPS. This phase will introduce system administrative components, with key features including advanced data analytics, automated reporting functions, and audit trails. These tools are intended to strengthen internal oversight and improve strategic management of firearm licensing and regulatory processes.

Concerns over previous delays, particularly in Release 02, now projected for completion in March 2025, have prompted the SAPS to implement mitigation measures. To reduce the risk of further postponements, additional resources have been allocated to the development team. This expansion is aimed at supporting parallel task execution and accelerating delivery timelines.

The SAPS has also confirmed that delays experienced during Releases 01 and 02, both of which involved a broader scope than originally anticipated, have had a direct effect on subsequent releases. However, these earlier delays have also allowed for consolidation of system components, with many of the features initially scheduled for Releases 03 and 04 being absorbed into Release 02. As a result, Releases 03 and 04 have been streamlined and merged into a single, final release that will focus primarily on reporting and business intelligence capabilities.

Originally, the project plan included a gap between Release 03, due in October 2025, and Release 04 in April 2026. This interval was intended to allow for the integration of user feedback. However, a revised project baseline has minimised this gap by merging the two phases and redistributing their scope into Release 02. The extended development period for Release 02 is now expected to deliver a more complete system, reducing the volume of work required in the final release phase.

The SAPS has assured stakeholders that the delays will not disrupt operational capabilities. The current firearm control system remains functional and in use, ensuring continuity in key services such as firearm licence issuance, record-keeping, and administrative duties. Therefore, while development work on the FCMS continues, public services and regulatory functions will not be affected.

SAPS maintains that the project remains on track for final completion within the originally envisioned timeline, despite internal adjustments to specific release phases. Regular updates on the progress of the FCMS will continue to be shared with stakeholders through established reporting channels and public communications platforms.

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Committee Chairperson Ian Cameron highlighted that SITA has faced persistent issues in delivering the necessary technological platforms to support SAPS operations. Without addressing these challenges, he warned, the police service’s tech plans would remain unworkable, preventing the integration of crucial systems that could help combat crime more effectively. “The reality is that SITA has had varied challenges in delivering technological platforms necessary to capacitate the SAPS to effectively incorporate technology into its crime-fighting initiatives,” Cameron said. “Without factoring these challenges into the environment, the plans will remain unimplementable.”

In addition to the SITA issues, the committee expressed concerns over the lack of integration between key platforms used by the SAPS, such as the automated vehicle location system, global emergency mobile communication, and command and control systems. “Integration of these platforms will ensure that SAPS has the capabilities to respond to crimes more efficiently and detect incidents more effectively,” Cameron emphasized.

While the committee welcomed the SAPS’s plans to collaborate with local government agencies, including the South African National Roads Agency, the absence of clear implementation deadlines makes it difficult for the committee and provincial legislatures to monitor progress and ensure accountability. Cameron stressed that delays in adopting technological solutions could hinder efforts to combat crime effectively, urging that every effort be made to implement these systems without further postponement.

The committee also raised concerns about the lack of public awareness of SAPS’s mobile application, which is designed to allow anonymous crime tip-offs, video uploads, and the sharing of safety information. Cameron noted that the app, which could greatly enhance public cooperation in crime-fighting, is poorly known among South Africans. “In a country facing the scourge of criminality, such an application should be communicated to enhance information sharing,” he said.

The committee commended the training of 60 police officers in operating remotely piloted aircraft systems (drones) but stressed the need to expand this capability. Drones could significantly improve policing in densely populated and hard-to-reach areas, particularly in informal settlements where traditional policing methods are less effective.

On another positive note, the committee welcomed the SAPS’s initiative to explore body cameras for officers. Having advocated for this technology for some time, the committee believes body cameras will help ensure greater accountability and enhance officer safety, while potentially reducing civil claims against the police. The committee has requested regular updates on the roll-out of this technology.

The committee also acknowledged progress in the development of an integrated, paperless Firearms Control Management System (FCMS), which it sees as essential for efficient adjudication of firearm applications and tracking their progress. However, it urged the SAPS to stick to the project timeline and ensure that the system is fully operational by March 2026.

Finally, the committee has scheduled a follow-up meeting to discuss the findings from an oversight visit to the SAPS Philippi Training Academy, amid ongoing concerns over corruption at the facility.

As the SAPS continues to pursue technological advancements to improve its crime-fighting efforts, the Portfolio Committee on Police remains focused on ensuring that these initiatives are implemented efficiently, on time, and with full accountability.

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