Police destroy 24 901 firearms
“The SAPS will continue 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.”
Police have destroyed 24 901 firearms that were confiscated and voluntarily handed over to the state recently.
The firearms were retrieved by the police during the previous two firearm amnesty periods.
The destructions of the weapons took place at Cape Gate Steel in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng.
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili said about half of the firearms that had been destroyed were handed in during 2019/2020 and the 2020/2021 firearm amnesty periods.
Muridili said the destruction comes as police had to continually detect and remove illegal firearms from circulation as they were being used to commit serious and violent crimes.
“Melting these firearms, therefore, ensures that the proliferation of firearms is dealt a blow.”
Muridili said the destroyed firearms were subjected to IBIS testing and there were no positive hits or firearm applications linked to them.
She said the demolition comes after a notice was published in the Government Gazette in June 2021 with 24 910 firearms intended to be destroyed.
She said through the notice, interested parties who had a valid claim to a relevant firearm or ammunition were invited to make representations within 21 days after the publication of the notice.
She said this was to allow a registrar to support reasons for why an identified firearms or ammunition should not be destroyed.
“The SAPS received nine representations and that led to the melting of the 24 901 firearms which included rifles (3 610), shotguns (3 083), handguns (17 383) and other parts.
“The SAPS will continue 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.”
Muridili said police encouraged those that have to handle firearms of their deceased relatives to do so in line with the prescripts of the law.
“A firearm is issued to an individual and cannot be dealt with like any other asset when the owner dies.”
She said the act provided that in case of death, the family or executor to dispose of the firearm by deactivating it through a gunsmith, sell it to an accredited firearm dealer, individual or voluntarily surrender it to SAPS for destruction.
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