In a move to ensure that illegal firearms seized in police operations are never used again, a total of 17 746 firearms from KwaZulu-Natal were destroyed on Wednesday.
Police minister, Nathi Mthethwa, addressed the media at a briefing held at the Reclamation Group, Prospecton (steel recycling plant) and congratulated members on a job well done.
“Most of these unwanted illegal firearms were seized in various police operations. We thank the police for this. The firearms we are destroying will be recycled to make gardening tools such as spades,” Mthethwa said.
He said every gun that is destroyed is a weapon that is no longer available to be used to kill, injure or intimidate.
He added that the firearm destruction was in keeping with the United Nations (UN) obligations in this regard. The UN designates 9 July every year as Firearms Destruction Day. “We missed the actual day due to other logistical matters,” said Mthethwa.
Among the destroyed firearms were various forms of shotguns, rifles, AK-47s, Uzi automatic guns, 38 pistols, 9 mm pistols, various forms of home-made guns and others.
According to the 24th Destruction of Firearms KwaZulu-Natal Report, a total of 17 257 firearms in KwaZulu-Natal were seized in police operations. Fifteen were handed in as part of the amnesty process and 474 were voluntarily handed to various police stations.
The report shows that Durban had the highest number of seized guns. The areas most affected are as follows: Pinetown 1 031, Umlazi 1 627, Chatsworth 870, Phoenix 434, Inanda 1 115, Brighton Beach 1 026, and Durban central had only 414 firearms seized.
Outside of Durban, the highest number of seized guns were found in Empangeni (1 210), Greytown (1 050, of which 36 were AK-47s), KwaDukuza (1 216), Kokstad (1 123), and Ulundi (1 145). The area with the highest number of home-made guns was KwaDukuza at 224.
The minister was at pains to stress that the South African crime situation was peculiar.
“We appeal to the South African public to help the police in tackling the proliferation of illegal firearms. Crime is not a police matter alone. It is a citizen matter as well,” he said.
