The South African Police Service (SAPS) remains relentless in its efforts to detect and permanently remove illegal firearms and ammunition in circulation.
This week, 14 595 firearms and firearm parts were destroyed during a destruction process in Vanderbijlpark; 11 421 of those destroyed are handguns while 1 708 are rifles, 1 205 shotguns and 28 combination firearms. SAPS has destroyed over 263,000 firearms in five years
These firearms, firearm parts and ammunition were seized during policing operations such as OPERATION SHANELA and subsequently forfeited to the State. Destroyed firearms also included those that have been surrendered voluntary and those that were handed in during the Amnesty period.
A breakdown of the number of firearms destroyed this week per province is as follows:
• Eastern Cape = 1 834
• Free State = 836
• Gauteng = 4 676
• Kwazulu-Natal = 1 600
• Limpopo = 989
• Mpumalanga = 664
• Northern Cape = 433
• North West = 446
• Western Cape = 3 117
In February this year, 18 077 firearms, AND firearm parts were also destroyed; since 2019 the SAPS has destroyed 263 545 firearms. All firearms with working mechanisms were subjected to IBIS testing to determine if they had been utilised in any commission of a crime and amnesty firearms.
The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola says the SAPS will continue to intensify its operations to detect and remove illegal firearms and ammunition from the streets of South Africa, as they pose a threat to the safety and security of the inhabitants of this country.
Firearms are the most preferred weapon of choice when crimes such as murders are committed and that is why it is pivotal that we double our efforts in removing those that are illegal out of circulation.
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