KZN man arrested with five unlicensed guns

Durban -  A 36-year-old man is set to appear at the Mpumalanga Magistrates Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The man is expected to make his first appearance in court on Friday. 

Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane, a KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, said  a multi-disciplinary intelligence driven police operation was conducted in the early hours of Thursday morning which led to the arrested of the man at Mtamuntengayo near Mpumalanga.

"Police received information that the man was in possession of firearms and an operation was launched. Police proceeded to the residence of the man and a search was conducted. During the search police seized a rifle; a revolver; three shotguns and 31 rounds of ammunition. The suspect was arrested and charged accordingly,"he said.                                                   

Recently, Police Minister Bheki Cele asked Parliament to approve another declaration of the firearm amnesty, to run for six months from October 2019.

This emerged in a letter Cele wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise, requesting that the police portfolio committee consider the amended draft declaration for the firearm amnesty.

Modise has now referred the letter to committee because the Firearms Control Act provides for the amnesty to be valid if it is approved by Parliament.

In his latest letter to Modise, Cele said a draft notice for a declaration of amnesty was tabled by his predecessor Fikile Mbalula in 2017 and was referred to the police portfolio committee.

“The portfolio committee was unable to consider the draft notice prior to February 1, 2018, being the proposed date on which the amnesty period was set to commence."

He also said the committee had required that Mbalula table a new letter containing the new date prior to approval.

Daily News