More than 19 000 firearms from KwaZulu Natal and 1 499 firearms from the Eastern Cape – were destroyed today to ensure they are never used again.
The Eastern Cape had already destroyed a total of 12 643 firearms – 5 680 during 2012 and 6 963 earlier this year.
Among the destroyed firearms were various forms of shotguns, rifles, AK-47s, Uzi automatic guns, 38 pistols, 9 mm pistols, various forms of home-made guns and others. These destroyed weapons will be recycled to make gardening tools, such as spades,
At a media briefing at the Reclamation Group, Prospecton steel recycling plant, west of Durban, Wednesday, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa praised the SAP for work well done. “Most of these unwanted illegal firearms were seized in various police operations. “We thank the police for this.”
The Minister said every gun that is destroyed is a weapon that is no longer available to be used to kill, injure or intimidate “our people”.
He said the firearm destruction was in keeping with the United Nations (UN) obligations in this regard. The UN designates 9 July every year as Firearms Destruction Day. “We missed the actual day due to other logistical matters.”
According to the 24th Destruction of Firearms KwaZulu-Natal Report, a total of 17 257 firearms in KwaZulu-Natal were seized in police operations. Fifteen were handed in as part of the amnesty process and 474 were voluntarily handed to various police stations.
The report shows that Durban had the highest number of seized guns. The areas most affected are as follows: Pinetown 1 031, Umlazi 1 627, Chatsworth 870, Phoenix 434, Inanda 1 115, Brighton Beach 1 026, and Durban central had only 414 firearms seized.
Outside of Durban, the highest number of seized guns were found in Empangeni (1 210), Greytown (1 050, of which 36 were AK-47s), KwaDukuza (1 216), Kokstad (1 123), and Ulundi (1 145). The area with the highest number of home-made guns was KwaDukuza at 224.
The Minister stressed that the South African crime situation was peculiar. “It is the extreme nature of violence in the commission of crime that worries us the most. Even rape is committed using firearms, so are armed robberies and other forms of crimes.
“We appeal to the South African public to help the police in tackling the proliferation of illegal firearms. Crime is not a police matter alone. It is a citizen matter as well,” he said.
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega decried the escalation in police killings. Phiyega said some seven officers have been killed this week alone – three in KZN and four in the Western Cape.
She thanked her officers for a sterling job in fighting crime. “Our business is to fight crime, which is the enemy of the South African freedom,” she said.
News source – SAnews.gov.za
(edited)
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News source – SAnews.gov.za
(edited)
Follow St Francis Chronicle on Twitter: @stfranchronicle
All articles edited or written, all photos taken plus all adverts designed by the Editor and printed in the St Francis Chronicle are protected by the law of Copyright ©. Reproduction or copying of any part of the contents of this newspaper and its concept and design can only be done with the Editor’s written permission.
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