More than 32 000 guns given up

2010-04-12 15:41

Pretoria - Over 32 000 firearms were surrendered during the firearms amnesty which ended at midnight on Sunday, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Monday.

Most of those guns were from Gauteng, he told reporters in Pretoria, alongside police boss General Bheki Cele.

Of the 32 169 guns recovered, 27% were illegal, more than half voluntarily surrendered and the rest confiscated at roadblocks and during search-and-seizures.

"This is encouraging... we're able to remove a large number of illegal firearms (from) circulation. This augurs very well with our objective of (reducing the) proliferation of firearms in the country."

The numbers were most "pleasing" as there had been doubts people would surrender their legal firearms.

KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape followed Gauteng as the provinces with the most seizures.

Under the amnesty, South Africans were given between January 11 to April 11  2010 to hand in legal and illegal firearms.

A total of 2 500 people used the opportunity to license their firearms under the new act.

Ballistics tests

Mthethwa said surrendered firearms would be subject to ballistic tests to determine if they had been used in any crimes.

Regarding the recovery of 348 083 rounds of ammunition, Mthethwa said it rendered illegal firearms still in circulation less dangerous.

Business Against Crime South Africa (Bacsa) which has been supporting the project with other organisations, commended Mthethwa, Cele and the police for their "pro-activity and pragmatism".

"The amnesty process has helped to conscientise citizens and individuals to the important role they play in fighting the unacceptable levels of violent crime in South Africa," Bacsa CEO Graham Wright said in a statement.

Between January and April this year more than 100 000 firearms were destroyed.

On Monday Crime Line launched a project allowing the public to report those that still had illegal firearms.
 

- SAPA