What does BGOASA stand for?

• BGOASA stands for the rights and freedom of all South Africans to own firearms.
• For defence of one life and property
• For defence of others in the community
• For any sporting and recreational purposes
• BGOASA believes that free people are not denied the right to firearm ownership.
• BGOASA believes that free people are not punished or marginalised should they own firearms.
• BGOASA believes that laws should be humanitarian, and meet society's needs.
• BGOASA does not believe that government has any right to restrict the owning of firearms to any law abiding sane adult until government can show with recognised valid evidence that gun control will have any impact on crime.

Government and the SAPS have not produced a single shred of evidence that the FCA will be of any benefit to society.

What kind of government do we have in South Africa?

What is the international evidence?

BGOASA was formed in 2003 by Abios Kheole (pictured right) who like many people is concerned that we do not enjoy peace in SA, notwithstanding the advent of democracy in April 1994 - we in fact have a virtual war situation where 89 people (Medical Research Council figures, the SAPS claims 50 per day) ) are attacked and killed by criminals and hundreds more are injured daily in criminal attack. This is not peace!

One fact that must be understood about our country and firearm ownership - legal gun-ownership is not high in SA when compared with world statistics and there are NOT a vast number of firearms in private hands, legally held and licenced - the total is approx. 4 million firearms held by approx. 2.5 million persons.(See STATS)

Nonetheless the government wishes to further reduce this number by means of a patently spurious process disguised as 'gun control" - the FCA is not in fact about control of guns - it is about control, pure and simple and it's first aim is to place in government hands a mechanism by which to disarm citizens COMPLETELY.

[ References:

Quotes and article Mluleki George chairperson of the national assembly's safety and security committee ]

We believe, as obviously do most legal gun-owners, that a gun in the responsible hands of a law-abiding citizen is a peace maker - for the reason that as long as criminals understand that their targets may well have guns, then they will be deterred from confrontational and violent crime across the board. Thus peace in our society is preserved without the need for a shot to be fired!

The other side of that coin is that, once criminals know that, as a result of the FCA, most people do not have guns, then the field is cleared for them to practice their evil trade with increased confidence and lowered risk. Thus peace in our society is jeopardised and we can expect an increased onslaught on our homes, businesses and persons.

In South Africa none can argue that we are not faced with a daily threat of attack by criminal elements intent on robbery by whatever means possible. When coupled with the easy availability of illegal firearms by criminals we can see that the most effective means of defence is matching force, in the form of defensive firearms.

Whilst this is not a desirable social condition it is what we have in SA, largely as a result of government ineptitude and in some cases as a result of adoption of crime-friendly policy by government. As law-abiding citizens of SA we are faced with the fundamental and absolute necessity to protect ourselves and those close to us from harm wherever and whenever necessary using legal methods.

Those legal methods MUST be deemed to include the right to wield lethal force in the most severe circumstances of defence of life.

Whilst the law does currently allow for that right, the FCA of 2000 has sought to negate that right by removing the MEANS which would give effect to our legal right of self-defence.

We say - NO! - Our legal right to defence MUST be protected and enhanced by laws which give real effect to the right!

We say -NO! - The FCA must be scrapped in it's entirety!

We say - YES! - we will continue to act as responsible firearm owners, able to defend ourselves, our families and neighbours whenever the need should arise!

We say - YES! - With your help and support, we will jointly work towards AND ACHIEVE that goal with determination and vigour!