Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Measures

1. A member shall be guilty of misconduct if he/she deliberately or negligently
1.1 conducts him/herself in a way that either in fact is or could be prejudicial to the good name of the Association or the proper conduct of the activities of the association
1.2 infringes any rule of the Association
1.3 refuses to submit to the authority or any legitimate decision of the Association or its office bearers
1.4 encourages a fellow member to commit an act of misconduct
1.5 conducts him/herself in a manner that is unbecoming, improper or disgraceful for a member of the Association

2. Conviction in a criminal court shall be admissible evidence and prima facie evidence of the facts alleged in the charge sheet in that case.

3. Allegations of possible misconduct shall be brought to the attention of the CEO of the Association who shall place it before the Executive committee, which shall take appropriate action.

4. Where the Executive Committee decides to take disciplinary action, it may itself act as a disciplinary committee or appoint a disciplinary committee of three persons to conduct a disciplinary inquiry.

5. The disciplinary committee shall investigate the allegations of misconduct and may for this purpose receive evidence and generally act in an inquisitorial manner to establish the facts of the matter.

6. Before finding a member guilty of misconduct, the disciplinary committee shall give due notice the member the material facts upon which the allegations are based and shall allow the member to defend him/herself against the allegations by permitting the member to challenge the allegations against him/her by asking such questions and presenting such evidence as may be necessary to further the ends of justice.
Version 1: 16 August 2014

7. A member shall not as of right and automatically be entitled to legal representation before a disciplinary committee, but may be assisted by another member, and may upon application to the Executive committee be permitted legal representation; at the hearing of such an application, the disciplinary committee shall bear in mind the complexity or seriousness of the charges, and that legal representation of the member may assist the committee in arriving at the correct conclusions.

8. In the event that a member is found guilty of misconduct, the committee may impose any appropriate penalty for which provision is made in these rules.

9. In the event of a finding of guilty, the finding and the penalty shall not take effect until the member is informed in writing of the finding and the penalty and the reasons for it, and in the event of a disciplinary committee other than the Executive Committee, until the finding and the penalty is confirmed in writing by the Executive Committee.

10. A disciplinary committee may impose the following penalties:
10.1 Warning
10.2 Written apology to any specified person or body of persons
10.3 Payment of a fine not exceeding twice the annual fee for an ordinary member
10.4 Deprivation or forfeiture of all or some of the member’s privileges or rights for a specified time including participation in the activities of the Association as a member or office-bearer.
10.5 Suspension from the Association for a specified time.
10.6 Expulsion from the Association

11. The disciplinary committee may suspend the penalty or any part thereof fur such a specified period of time and upon such conditions as may be appropriate.

12. The Executive Committee shall furnish a report in such form and in such a manner as prescribed by law in respect of any member to whom the provisions of regulation 2(12) made under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 and published in Government Gazette 26156 of 26 March 2004 apply.

13. Disciplinary proceedings against members shall be conducted in a manner that is procedurally fair, lawful and reasonable.