A new concern is the behavior of the porters at JNB, who carry guns to and from aircraft. Many of them are said to be demanding bribes. We alerted our contacts there to this problem, and the word we have is a stern warning was issued: No More Bribes! Don't Pay Them. And Don't Offer Them. Closed-circuit cameras were going to be installed in appropriate rooms to ensure compliance.
Be all that as it may, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't tell you we are still getting reports of hunters being asked for bribes. Apparently, the subtle "requests" for money make it clear that a bribe will help ensure that one's gun gets on the flight in question. If you are hit up this way at JNB, the man who wants to know about it is Bert Meintjes of SAA.
Ultimately, the biggest problem at JNB may well be incompetence and lingering disorganization in the wake of the new South African gun bill that transferred firearms authority from customs to the police. Indeed, most of the guns that have gone missing at JNB seem to have been lost, not stolen. By way of example, note this from a subscriber who came through JNB last month:
"I read your recent article on lost rifles at JNB, and thought I would add this observation. My hunting partner and I arrived at JNB recently from the US to find that our rifles were missing. After an extended wait, a search and........(continued)
