For almost 20 years, Farzana Rahiman has worked in social services, often in situations where emotions run high and personal safety can become a concern.
But the 44-year-old social worker from Cape Town said she never expected a hijab, a religious headscarf worn by Muslim women, to become the most difficult part of her decision to legally obtain a firearm.
Rahiman spent about 15 years working in provincial government before moving to a local non-governmental organisation focusing on child protection, seven years ago.
Farzana Rahiman's firearm licence application was allegedly rejected due to her wearing a hijab in her photograph. The picture was blurred to protect her identity.
Her work includes removing children from homes - a responsibility she said has increasingly placed social workers in dangerous situations.
