Thousands of illegal firearms destroyed
Half the firearms were handed in during the 2019/2020 and the 2020/2021 firearm amnesty periods
Some 24 901 firearms, which were voluntarily handed over during the previous two firearm amnesty periods, confiscated or surrendered to the state, were destroyed at Cape Gate Steel in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng earlier this month.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), about half the firearms were handed in during the 2019/2020 and the 2020/2021 firearm amnesty periods.
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Of the total haul of weapons, 3 610 were rifles, 3 083 were shotguns and 17 383 were handguns.
These firearms were also subjected to ballistics testing; however there were no positive hits nor firearm applications linked to them.
The statement issued by SAPS reads: ‘The police have to continually detect and remove illegal firearms from circulation as they are being used to commit serious and violent crimes.
‘Melting these firearms ensures that the proliferation of firearms is dealt a blow.’
The police encourage those who have to handle firearms of deceased relatives to do so legally.
A firearm is issued to an individual and cannot be dealt with like any other asset when the owner dies.
In the case of death, the family or executor must dispose of the firearm by deactivating it through a gunsmith, selling it to an accredited firearms dealer or individual, or voluntarily surrendering it to SAPS for destruction.
Contact your nearest police station for more information.
