A total of 739 EMPD-owned firearms have gone missing, or have been reported stolen, according to a press statement issued by DA MP Mike Waters.
The EMPD, however, described these reports as “sheer speculation and devoid of facts”.
Waters claimed that the DA is in possession of the highly sensitive EMPD armoury audit report.
“The long overdue armoury audit into the EMPD highlights the gross incompetence of the head of the armoury and the shambolic state of affairs within the armoury,” said Waters.
“It is little wonder why the City of Ekurhuleni has deliberately delayed tabling the report in council and making it public.”
Water added that some of the shocking findings include that out of the metro’s 3 525 firearms licenses, only 2 518 could be accounted for.
“382 firearms have been reported missing or stolen, 357 firearms are unaccounted for and five LM6 rifles were purchased from a supplier and although the licences were issued, the supplier was liquidated before the rifles could be delivered.
“It is outrageous that 739 firearms are stolen, missing or simply unaccounted for.”
The MP further stated that according to the report, discipline within the EMPD is a huge problem and the following was revealed:
- Various members did not report for the audit. The armoury forwarded the list of names after completion of the audit to different regions and Specialised Services in an attempt to get members to comply. This instruction was ignored.
- No weekly firearm inspection sheets were forwarded to the armoury.
- Lack of communication to the armoury regarding firearm related incidents.
- Employees from other CoE departments are not subjected to the same rules as the EMPD officers in terms of inspections and compulsory competency evaluations as stipulated by legislation.
- The current filing system is inadequate and not user friendly. The armoury is currently busy implementing a new filing system.
- No control over budgetary processes. No money available for holsters, firearm spares and ammunition when required, and
- Firearms reported at various SAPS offices and some firearms might be destroyed.
“The questions that have to be asked are, how was the control of the armoury allowed to collapse to such levels, and how many of the stolen and missing firearms have been used in crimes against the very people they were meant to protect?
“I will be writing to minister of police, Bheki Cele, to request his department to conduct a forensic audit into the metro’s armoury division – and to bring all those responsible for its collapse to book,” he said.
The EMPD spokesperson, chief superintendent Wilfred Kgasago, said an accurate picture can only be obtained once the joint auditing process has been finalised with SAPS.
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