Poslec SETA has issued a public notice relating to certain malpractices and irregularities experienced with providers of firearms training, as it wishes to alert the public to the risk of falling victim to unscrupulous training providers and/or fraudsters. The following are examples of irregularities experienced:
* Training providers offer training at premises not accredited by the Poslec SETA and/or the Central Firearms Registrar (CFR). These include church halls, community halls, farms, shooting ranges not approved by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), etc.
* Proficiency assessments are conducted by unregistered (unauthorised) persons.
* Training providers offer training for which they have not been accredited.
* Unauthorised training providers misrepresent their identities or advertise under the auspices of accredited training providers.
* Training providers allow learners to take home assessment questionnaires, complete them in an uncontrolled environment and then submit these back to the training provider, whereupon the training provider declares them competent. This is specifically true for the short course currently offered on the knowledge of the Firearms Control Act, 2000.
Poslec SETA and the CFR accredit firearms training providers to protect individuals from unscrupulous operators and potentially life-threatening training conditions, such as unsafe shooting ranges. When training providers operate outside the confines of the accreditation rules, Poslec SETA is forced to take action against such providers in order to protect the public.
Poslec SETA is investigating allegations of serious irregularities at two (2) education and training providers, one of which has ten (10) offices across the country, as well as allegations of misconduct, including fraud, on the part of nine (9) assessors and three (3) moderators. All the investigations are in relation to irregularities linked to training required in terms of the Firearms Control Act, Act 60 of 2000. If the allegations prove to be accurate, this may lead to de-accreditation and prosecution on criminal charges.
Individuals who have received training from an unauthorised training provider, or who were assessed by unregistered assessors, are cautioned that Poslec SETA will not issue any certificates for such training or assessment.
The public should note that:
* Firearm training providers must be accredited with the Poslec SETA in terms of the South African Qualifications Authority Act, Act 58 of 1995, for the specific unit standards they are allowed to offer.
* Firearms training providers must be accredited by the CFR in terms of the Firearms Control Act, 2000.
* Firearms may only be discharged at SABS approved, CFR accredited, shooting ranges.
* Training providers may only conduct training at Poslec SETA and CFR registered addresses. No training provider may conduct training or assessments at any other venues whatsoever and there are no exceptions.
* Assessors must be registered with Poslec SETA for specific unit standards before they may conduct proficiency assessments.
* Assessments cannot take place through the post or in any other uncontrolled environment.
Details of legitimate training providers as well as the unit standards for which they are accredited to offer are published on the Poslec SETA website at http://www.poslecseta.org.za/firearms. A list of training providers accredited by the CFR is available on the South African Police Service's website at http://www.saps.gov.za/crime_prevention/firearms.htm. Candidates for firearm training are encouraged to consult these lists before engaging a training provider.
Anyone suspecting irregular actions on the part of a firearms training provider or assessor, should report the incident in writing to The ETQA Practitioner, Poslec SETA, PO Box 7612, Halfway House, 1685 or by e-mail to [email protected]
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