SAPS were busy with the operation, conducting stop and searches duties in the Middelburg CBD.

It was during this period around 15:00, when they stopped a man and after searching him, they reportedly found a 9 mm pistol as well as a magazine with seven live ammunition in his possession.

The man could not produce a licence hence he was apprehended and charged for possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition.

The firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether the weapon was not used in the commission of crime elsewhere.

At this stage Police cannot rule out the possibilities of adding more charges against the suspect as the investigation continues.

The man is expected to appear at the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, facing the said charges.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has been elated with the recovery of the firearm and the arrest of the suspect.

“The proliferation of firearms continues to be a challenge however we are doing our best to address this hence if one can be observant, since the year (2023) began we managed to arrest many suspects and recovered many firearms.”

“This is a sign of our determination to remove these deadly weapons in an effort to create a safe environment for the citizens, ” said the General.