Over 7000 guns reported stolen

members from the Western Cape Flying Squad were on routine patrol on the N2 freeway when they spotted a vehicle of which the occupants appeared suspicious. At approximately 11:30 they pulled the black Toyota Run-X from the road opposite Bonteheuwel, where the vehicle was searched. Two firearms, a 9mm Buccaneer pistol and a 9mm Browning CZ 83, which were both fully loaded, were recovered from where it was hidden beneath the gear lever compartment. The five male occupants, aged from 21 to 39 years, were arrested for the illegal possession of unlicensed firearms. Ensuing investigations would determine if they could possibly be linked to the recent gang activity on the Cape Flats. They will appear in court soon.

members from the Western Cape Flying Squad were on routine patrol on the N2 freeway when they spotted a vehicle of which the occupants appeared suspicious. At approximately 11:30 they pulled the black Toyota Run-X from the road opposite Bonteheuwel, where the vehicle was searched. Two firearms, a 9mm Buccaneer pistol and a 9mm Browning CZ 83, which were both fully loaded, were recovered from where it was hidden beneath the gear lever compartment. The five male occupants, aged from 21 to 39 years, were arrested for the illegal possession of unlicensed firearms. Ensuing investigations would determine if they could possibly be linked to the recent gang activity on the Cape Flats. They will appear in court soon.

Published Dec 5, 2014

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Pretoria - A total of 7 759 firearms were reported stolen in the past year by citizens, public institutions like police and military and private security companies, but only 473 were lost in the same period, according to a parliamentary reply by Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko.

Private individuals reported 5 194 firearms stolen, and 233 lost, while public institutions like the police reported 1 769 stolen and 199 lost. Private security companies had a better track record - 769 firearms were stolen and 41 lost.

Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald on Thursday said that since there were almost 3 million private firearm owners, who lost 233 guns, the level of negligence stood at 0.007 percent.

“The minister of police and even President (Jacob) Zuma’s comments that there are too many private firearms and that it promotes violent crime is therefore totally untrue and shows… that they are ill-informed about private firearm ownership,” he said, adding more attention needed to be paid to eradicate illegal firearms.

The statistics on lost and stolen firearms emerged a few weeks after calls for greater gun control and the eradication of illegal guns in the wake of the killing of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa. He was shot during a home robbery in Vosloorus in October. The SA Football Association wanted such a measure named after him.

However, in August the SAPS told Parliament it was struggling to fully implement the 2000 Firearms Control Act, amid staff shortages, lack of storage and a troublesome IT system that did not talk to other crucial systems, despite a R400 million investment.

The act, described as “a comprehensive and an effective system of firearms control” in its preamble, introduced mandatory competency tests for gun owners and periodic renewals, set strict storage requirements, created a database of all legal firearm owners and provides a lawful process to surrender firearms no longer wanted. Amendments to the act are planned to tighten loopholes and to facilitate gun-license administration.

Meanwhile, Groenewald said the increasing sick leave among police officers was “very worrying”, particularly because it cost taxpayers R1.148 billion last year. “Nearly 80 percent of the number of police officers had taken sick leave - 159 082 from a total of 200 000 members. It is clear the police have a health problem,” said Groenewald.

Just under 1.8 million working days were lost to sick leave in the SAPS, up 42 percent from 2012, at a cost of more than R1 billion.

Pretoria News

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