Thousands of guns destroyed in Vanderbijlpark
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola officiated the event.
With this year's earlier destruction of 16 049 firearms, the total number of firearms and parts destroyed by police over the past five years sits at 291 993.
Speaking during the pre-presser, Masemola said each one [firearm] represents a potential life saved, a family spared from grief, and a community fortified against chaos.
'These are firearms that once filled terror in our society. This act is not just symbolic, it's a strategic blow against the crime that threatened the safety of our people,' he said.
'The destruction of weapons that once fuelled terror, now reduced to scrap, is not symbolic; it is a strategic blow against the violence that threatens our nation's soul,' he added.
Masemola said Gauteng brought the majority of firearms.
'With the firearms that we are destroying today, Gauteng brought in the majority of firearms with 5 099, followed by Western Cape with 2333, KZN with 1574, the Eastern Cape with 1432 firearms, and 460 from the Free State.
Limpopo brought in 343, and Mpumalanga contributed 519 each of these firearms while North West contributed 417 and Northern Cape 322,' he said.
According to Masemola, firearms remain the most preferred weapon used in serious and violent crime, and that's why it's important to ensure authorities remove them permanently from the streets.
'Through operation Shanela, we are seizing no less than 100 firearms per week. In the last seven days, 106 firearms were seized.
We remain resolute and focused on our targeted operations to completely remove these firearms from the hands of community's especially young people,' he concluded.
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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He owns one in Bloemfontein, two in Pretoria and the other two in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. The property in Bloemfontein is worth R380,000 and was purchased in 2016. The properties in Pretoria are valued at R165,000 and R1,500,000, respectively. The other one was purchased in 1996 and the other one in 2011. The properties in Pietermaritzburg were bought in 2002 and 2005. The other one is valued at R153,000 and the other one is R445,000. The investigation also revealed that in 2019, Masemola took a personal loan amounting to R200,000.00 from Nedbank and was repaid within seven months. Records indicate that in order to pay off that loan, he took another loan in the amount of R238,000.00. 'Back-to-back loans are generally seen as Red Flags. Subject (Masemola) is shown as being currently 9 months in arrears in revolving credit with Standard Bank. 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A preliminary report from SAPS Crime Intelligence was tabled, addressing the cross-border crime concerns raised by Advocate Matsoso. Intelligence structures have reportedly 'heightened their operations to investigate allegations made and where necessary, track down and take down such illegal activities,' said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe in a statement. The DPCI's Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit has been deployed to investigate these allegations. According to the SAPS, 'Various searches have been undertaken by CATS at various identified farms and no such evidence has been found to date.' Mathe said Masemola has reached out to the Lesotho Police Chief, where the two commissioners discussed the allegations made by Advocate Matsoso. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading ''Both commissioners agreed that both law enforcement agencies intelligence structures are on the ground to investigate the existence of such camps,'' she said. 'General Fannie Masemola assures all people living in South Africa that the safety and security of the people of SA is of paramount importance and anyone who is found to be in the country committing illegal acts will face the full might of the law,'' said Mathe. She added: 'To this effect, intelligence structures and operatives are on the ground to establish facts.' The situation stems from a long-standing territorial dispute. Lesotho MP and leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, Dr Tshepo Lipholo, has been at the forefront of the push to reclaim areas from South Africa. He was recently arrested in Lesotho and charged with sedition and incitement after allegedly calling for armed struggle and declaring himself the 'paramount chief of Basotholand'. Audio clips reportedly circulating on social media support these claims. Although Lipholo travelled to the United Nations earlier this year to submit a land claim, Lesotho's Ministry of Foreign Affairs distanced itself from the trip, clarifying that it was not sanctioned by the Maseru government. Lesotho's Prime Minister Samuel Matekane has since confirmed the state's concern, stating the campaign threatens peace and national stability. Citizens have been urged to remain calm. 'South Africans are urged not to panic or worry as police from both countries remain on high alert,' Mathe said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
