Proper training is key to firearm safety
Firearms training specialist shares his knowledge.
During his address at the release of the Quarter One Crime Statistics 2022/2023 (crimes that were reported to SAPS from April to June this year) hosted in Pretoria last month, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the number of murders in this country remained high and worrisome. The majority of the murders were committed with a firearm.
Firearms are three times likely to be the weapon of choice in all the reported murders,” Cele said.
A total of 6 424 people were killed by others in South Africa in the first quarter of the 2022/ 2023 financial year – 664 more compared to the same period last year, when lockdown levels 1 and 2 applied. The three main causes for murder remain arguments and misunderstandings.
However, firearms also serve other purposes for example to defend oneself, and in sport such as target shooting and hunting, which are popular recreational activities. Whatever the reason for owning a firearm, it should always be used safely, legally and responsibly.
The Herald spoke to 50-year-old Len Visser who has been a firearms training specialist for the past 30 years.
He said a firearms training specialist is a subject-matter expert in all firearms, and in all the relevant legislation for handling and owning a firearm, either in the private and business sectors in relation to training.
“My father was a police officer which paved the way for me to become one after I finished my military service. I grew fonder of firearms and everything firearm-related which led me to doing all the required training, and progressing to sport shooting and becoming a firearms training specialist.”
He acquired his qualifications and experience over years in the military, the South African Police and private security industry and locally and abroad.
He’s a qualified instructor in all military, police and civilian small arms, and is also a tactical firearms instructor and presents all types of specialised courses for the security industry.
According Visser, it’s definitely a dangerous job because if an accident happens you can’t recall the bullet and start over again – unlike in gaming – so there is zero tolerance for mistakes when handling firearms.
You are working with live ammunition, real firearms and people, and if you are not in control of what you are doing at all times, especially when the trainees are handling loaded firearms, it could result in damage to property, serious injury and/ or death. If something should happen while under your control as an instructor, you could be held criminally liable.”
Visser is qualified to give proper professional training in all types and calibres of hand guns (pistols and revolvers), and all types of self-loading rifles, bolt-action rifles and shotguns for use in the security and private sectors. “You are teaching people the ability to protect themselves in the event of a life-threatening situation, and empowering them to take control of their daily situation.
“The fun part of this job is seeing the joy of the trainees when they are able to put into practice the knowledge they have gained by applying it at the shooting range, thereby taking the first steps to becoming a competent firearm handler.”
He had the following advice for firearm owners:
• If you have a firearm for self-defence it means nothing if it’s locked up in a safe. Keep the firearm on your person under your immediate control as the law requires, and when it’s not on your person keep it locked in a safe.
• Make your kids used to the idea of a firearm in the house. Let them handle the firearm under your supervision which will teach them the fundamentals of handling firearms safely and responsibility from a young age. Take them to the range and teach them how to shoot, but be aware that curiosity could cause them to take the firearm from the safe when you are not around, therefore precaution is key. Visser advocates safe firearm practices at all time.
He believes a firearm is a very good self-defence tool, because it puts for example an elderly person or a woman with a small build or someone without any self-defence skills on a more even playing field when they are attacked by someone bigger than they are.
