The South African Police Service (SAPS) has permanently removed 26 000 firearms from circulation following a process where firearms, ammunition and firearm parts which had either been seized during crime prevention operations, voluntarily surrendered or forfeited to the state were destroyed in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng.
The process to demolish the firearms today was overseen by the Divisional Commissioner responsible for Visible Policing and Operations, Lieutenant General Michael Mohlala.
All firearms that have been destroyed were subjected to Ballistic testing to determine if they were utilised in any commission of a crime. The SAPS confirms that all firearms had been cleared.
The SAPS will continue to intensify its operations 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. The organization therefore takes this opportunity to commend members of the public for playing a part in making South Africa a safer place to live in. The Service remains confident that destroying these firearms will ensure that they are permanently removed from circulation.
