SAPS destroys nearly 12 000 firearms to curb violent crime
Police destroyed 11 859 firearms and firearm parts on International Firearm Destruction Day, bringing the total number of firearms destroyed over the past seven years to more than 317 000.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) destroyed the firearms and firearm parts as part of International Firearm Destruction Day, a United Nations campaign observed annually on July 9.
Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo led the destruction, which included 9 596 handguns, 1 102 rifles, 798 shotguns, 33 combination firearms and 330 firearm parts. The latest destruction brings the total number of firearms destroyed by SAPS over the past seven years to 317 811.
According to the South African Government News Agency, Boshielo was joined by senior SAPS officials during the destruction ceremony.
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Most of the firearms destroyed were confiscated during policing operations, including Operation Shanela. Of those destroyed, 157 were linked to finalised cases involving crimes against women and children, while three had been linked to cash-in-transit robberies. Others were voluntarily surrendered or handed in during firearm amnesty periods.
Gauteng recorded the highest number of firearms destroyed, with 3 863, followed by KZN (2 047), the Western Cape (2 037), the Eastern Cape (1 500), the Free State (800), Mpumalanga (500), the Northern Cape (419), Limpopo (371) and North West (322).
Police also destroyed 4 089 blank guns, airguns and homemade firearms, which can be modified to fire live ammunition and are frequently used in criminal activities.
Boshielo said destroying firearms forfeited to the State ensured they could never re-enter circulation and demonstrated the government’s commitment to reducing violent crime.
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“It is pleasing to note that we are also destroying firearms today that were used in incidents of gender-based violence. Firearms are destroying our families and our communities. Today’s destruction demonstrates the government’s commitment to detecting and permanently removing illegal firearms and ammunition from our country,” she said.
Police confiscate no fewer than 100 illegal firearms every week through tracing operations, stop-and-searches and targeted crime-fighting initiatives.
During last week’s nationwide Operation Shanela II, officers seized 121 unlicensed firearms and 2 584 rounds of ammunition.
All firearms destroyed were audited and subjected to ballistic testing to determine whether they had been used in other crimes, including those surrendered during firearm amnesty periods.
