In another move to rid Gauteng of the scourge of crime, police on Thursday destroyed thousands of illegal firearms confiscated during crime-prevention operations around the province.
In total, about 26 000 illegal firearms, some voluntarily surrendered by the owners and others forfeited to the state, were melted at a plant in Vanderbijlpark, the Vaal.
All the firearms were first subjected to ballistic testing to determine if they had been used to commit any crime, and the police later confirmed that they had been cleared.
In a statement, the police said they have a responsibility to continually discover and get rid of all illegal firearms from circulation. “Melting these firearms therefore ensures that the proliferation of firearms is dealt a blow,” said the police statement.
“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.”
The process of melting the firearms was overseen by Lieutenant-General Michael Mohlala, the divisional commissioner responsible for visible policing and operations.
#sapsHQ 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. #GunDestruction #GunsOffTheStreets ME pic.twitter.com/85e61xWvCU
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 10, 2022
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