News24 | Cleaning up the streets: Police have destroyed more than 260 00 firearms since 2019

SAPS destroyed nearly 15 000 firearms and firearms parts in Vanderbijlpark this week. (Supplied/SAPS)

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has destroyed more than 260 000
firearms over the past five years. 

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the SAPS
remains relentless in its efforts to detect and permanently remove illegal
firearms and ammunition in circulation. 

This week, 14 595 firearms and firearm parts were destroyed during a
destruction process in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, including 11 421 handguns, 1
708 rifles, 1 205 shotguns and 28 combination firearms.

“These firearms, firearm parts and ammunition were seized during
policing operations such as Operation Shanela, and subsequently forfeited to
the state,” Mathe said. 

Among the destroyed firearms were those that had been surrendered
voluntarily and those that had been handed in during the amnesty period from 1
August 2020 to 31 January 2021.

Firearms destroyed this week per province:

Eastern Cape – 1 834Free State – 836Gauteng – 4 676Kwazulu-Natal – 1 600Limpopo – 98Mpumalanga – 664Northern Cape – 433North West – 446Western Cape – 3 117In February, 18 077 firearms and firearm parts were destroyed. Since
2019, the police have destroyed 263 545 firearms.

Over the last five years, the police service has destroyed more than 260 000 firearms. (Supplied/SAPS)

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said the SAPS would intensify its operations to detect and remove illegal firearms and ammunition from the streets.

“Firearms are the most preferred weapon of choice when crimes such
as murders are committed, and that is why it is pivotal that we double our
efforts in removing those that are illegal out of circulation,” he said.