The injured man is charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm.
While a Springs police officer was on duty on Saturday, he received a complaint about a shooting in the area he was patrolling.
When he arrived on the scene, he found a woman and an injured man in possession of a gun.
Captain Johannes Ramphora, spokesman for the Springs police, says the couple was allegedly having an argument when the boyfriend shot himself in the mouth.
The police officer called the paramedics who treated the man on the scene and took him to a nearby hospital.
The police confiscated the firearm and traced the serial number.
It is believed that the gun belongs to an Ekurhuleni Emergency Services (EMS) employee.
He says the case is currently being investigated and statements are being taken from the EMS officer and the injured man.
The EMS officer was informed of the incident and is giving her full cooperation.
“We have to look at the circumstances of how injured man got hold of the gun or whether it was negligence from the EMS employee,” he says.
The outcome of the investigation will determine if charges of negligence will be pressed against the EMS officer.
Ramphora says according to the Firearms Control Act, the owner of a firearm cannot hand over a firearm to someone without the licence and competence certificate.
“If the EMS officer is found guilty of negligance she will be charged accordingly,” adds Ramphora.
The injured man is currently in hospital under police guard and will be taken into custody as soon as he is discharged.
