SA must relook at access to firearms: Cele

SOUTH Africa would be better off if only its armed forces and not private citizens had access to firearms, Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Wednesday.

The Minister made the statement after he accompanied the National Police Commissioner, Khehla Sitole, and oversaw the destruction of 30 039 firearms at Arcelor Mittal’s plant in Vereeniging.

“It would be better if one day we don’t have private citizens having guns at all. It’s a tall order going forward but it would be better if one day, only the armed forces namely police and soldiers having [access to] guns,” said the Minister.

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Most of the firearms which included rifles, were surrendered to the state by their rightful owners.

The others were either seized or forfeited to the state. Wednesday’s destruction process at which the Minister and the Commissioner inspected a vast array of firearms is the first to be conducted since October 2016.

Asked about why it took long to destroy the firearms, Cele said one of the reasons for the delay was around firearms which were sought for historical purposes.

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He added that a further 60 000 firearms are still to be destroyed.

The Minister highlighted the importance of getting guns off the streets.

“It’s important to say that we are looking at the next batch [to be destructed] we are trying to squeeze in the time for that so that we don’t keep these guns in the crime market for very long,” he said.

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