The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has ordered an urgent probe into an illegal high-calibre firearm that was found in the possession of two students in Braamfontein on 17 March.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said in a statement that, for the past week, police had been on high alert monitoring protests by students of various tertiary institutions in Gauteng, particularly in Johannesburg.
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Peters said, “A Crime Intelligence report about a dangerous weapon was operationalised and led police to a gathering in Braamfontein where students were in attendance. It is at this gathering where members observed two students in Stiemens Street carrying an automatic rifle.”
Peters explained that the officers kept a close watch and saw the pair drive off in a vehicle. The car was followed and ultimately stopped by the Johannesburg Flying Squad and the Tactical Response Team in Auckland Park.
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Police searched the vehicle and found a Galil (an automatic rifle) with a loaded magazine. “A 24-year old male suspect and a 21-year old female suspect were arrested immediately and are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court in due course on two charges of possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition and possession of a dangerous weapon,” said Peters.
Mawela added, “This goes to prove the magnitude of the problem police are facing in terms of the proliferation of illegal firearms. That this could be in the arms of a student is worrisome, notwithstanding the question of why a firearm of this calibre was brought to a gathering of students in the first place.”
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