Gun/hunting expos the world over seem to take a perverse delight in biting the hands that feed them. This time the largest South African gun/hunting expo decided to ban personal firearms from being carried at the event. My understanding of South African gun laws is that once you go through the crazy long process of getting a gun licensed you can carry it just about anywhere. The HuntEx organizers relented, after a lot of pressure, but now they will zip tie any personal guns on entry to ensure they cannot be fired. Gunservant.com published the expo’s response to their backlash …

After careful consideration, we decided not to impose a total ban on the carrying of personal firearms at the venue of the HuntEx Cape Game Fair. However, since the Fair is held within a controlled environment, where shooting exercises and competitions take place, we have to apply certain measures to ensure personal firearm safety in the public areas of the Fair.

Before entering the Cape Fair venue visitors carrying personal firearms will be directed to a designated safe area where they will have to make their firearms safe, sign an indemnity and apply a plastic cable tie to disable their firearms. They will then be allowed to carry their firearms in a concealed holster for the duration of their visit. On departure they will be free to return to the designated safe area to remove the cable tie and reload their firearms.

No firearm will be removed from the control of its owner who will be responsible for unloading and re-loading his/her own firearm. These activities will only be allowed within the designated safety area and under the control of a competent safety officer.

Conclusion
We look forward to the HuntEx Cape Game Fair to showcase an industry about which we are passionate. We are confident that reasonable, responsible gun owners will understand and support these necessary visitor firearm safety rules to ensure a safe environment for visitors and their families.