Pretoria - As part of cleaning up the streets and making communities safer in line with the National Development Plan, police destroyed 14 382 firearms on Thursday.
The exercise was carried out as an event to commemorate the United Nations (UN) Firearms Destruction Day, which is commemorated on the 9th of July annually.
The day, in which guns are destroyed worldwide, was initiated by the UN in efforts to minimise the number of illegal and unnecessary guns. Guns that were destroyed included old ones, those that were found as exhibits and those that legitimate owners needed no more.
In January, police destroyed 9 447 firearms.
This means that more than 120 000 firearms and around 1 million rounds of ammunition have been destroyed over the past four years.
National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega said some of these firearms were voluntarily surrendered to the SAPS and were once legally owned.
While some were seized as exhibits after being used in the commission of a crime or were confiscated during operations, others were unlawfully possessed firearms.
“The continuous increase in the number of firearms confiscated is a direct result of our intensified crime prevention operations and police visibility. We take it to heart that there are many families in this country who have suffered tremendous grief as a result of the crimes perpetrated with these unlawful firearms,” said Phiyega.
This number also includes firearms that were previously owned by the South African Police Services (SAPS) and other official institutions.
Phiyega said police have been losing some 5 000 firearms annually.
This number has been reduced to 771 in the past financial year.
Although this is a good achievement, the National Police Commissioner said more still needs to be done by SAPS members to look after their firearms.
“A firearm is an important tool of trade. Our members should exercise care and be vigilant when carrying out their duties.
“Criminals want those firearms and they must not get them from us, no matter the situation. We must do everything possible to stop criminals from robbing police officials.”
New head of Central Firearm Registry
Phiyega used the opportunity to also introduce the new head of the Central Firearm Registry, Major General Maropeng Momethethi.
Momethethi has been in the police for 26 years and was recently Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Operations in the Northern Cape.
“We know that you have taken on a role where there are many challenges. There is a lot of talk in public. Everyone is making all sorts of allegations and demands but, take it from me... don't pay too much attention to the noise out there. Focus on the task at hand,” Phiyaga said.
Meanwhile, Phiyega called on citizens to report and hand over unlawfully possessed firearms.
“We need everyone to come on board and work with us.” The public can report illegal firearms to the police on 086 0010 111. - SAnews.gov.za
