Police find arms cache in a warehouse, ex-German citizen nabbed

A former German citizen is expected to appear in the Mamelsbury Magistrate’s Court on Monday after police discovered 44 types of firearms and ammunition at a warehouse during an operation.

Police Minister Bheki Cele mentioned the intelligence-led operation on Friday when he presented the quarterly crime statistics covering the period between October and December 2022.

The operation started on Thursday evening and investigators spent two days scouring the scene, said Cele.

The arms cache

Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa the naturalised German descendent was charged with possession of unlicensed firearms, and ammunition.

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The following arsenal was confiscated:

• 44 firearms (comprising nine rifles, handguns, a cannon and pistols)
• 11 firearm parts, considered firearms in terms of the Firearms Control Act
• Two full LDV loads of an assortment of rounds of ammunition
• Substantial quantities of gunpowder
• Numerous boxes used for storage of firearm magazines

The 64-year-old Tierfontein resident is expected to appear in court in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

“As the investigation continues, the possibility of further arrests cannot be ruled out. The origin of the firearms, ammunition and gunpowder is the subject of the police investigation with investigators setting their sights on other premises in the vicinity,” said Potelwa.

Gun violence

The minister raised concerns about the proliferation of firearms in the country.

Out of the 7 555 people murdered in the three months of reporting, Cele said 3 144 people were killed with a firearm, highlighting the country’s challenge with gun violence.

2 498 people were killed with other weapons such as knives, sharp and blunt instruments, bricks – and in many cases – bare hands.

Raising concerns about the grim figures, Cele said it was clear that South Africans needed to have a broader conversation about what is at the heart of violent crime in the country.

“While gun violence is problematic and poses a serious threat to lives and livelihoods, with the analysis of the current and previous statistics, it is quite evident that firearms are only part of a bigger problem,” he said.

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