Polokwane - South African Police Service (SAPS) officers in Limpopo have so far recovered 152 firearms from former employees of now-defunct security companies in the Thohoyandou area.
Firearms are used in a large number of crimes, prompting Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba to deploy the firearms, liquor, and secondhand goods (Flash) unit to trace and all firearms still in the possession of former employees of security companies that had closed down, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said on Saturday.
This was the result of a concerted effort by police in the province to "eradicate all possibilities of criminals to commit crime through the use of firearms". The operation would continue across the province.
"During the operation in the Thohoyandou [policing] cluster, 34 security companies were visited and 152 firearms and 93 live rounds [of ammunition] were recovered. The recovered firearms and ammunition will be destroyed after proper procedures are completed," Ngoepe said.
South African Police Service officers in Limpopo have recovered 152 firearms from former employees of now-defunct security companies in the Thohoyandou area. Photo: SAPS
Ledwaba also cautioned security companies failing to comply with the Firearms Control Act to "pull up their socks, failing to do so, they have to face the harsh might of the law".
Anyone with information about unscrupulous companies still operating in their areas should contact Lt-Col Justice Nchabeleng at 082-468-3848 or any Flash coordinator at the nearest police station across the province, or the crime stop number 08600-10111.