Parktown – Members from Vanderbijlpark in the early hours of today arrived at a house to attend to a complaint that is related to domestic violence, and then uncovered in the house an arms cache.
A female complainant called the police as she was having a dispute at her home. While the police were inside the house, their observation and focus led to the discovery of 43 firearms of different calibres and approximately 2000 ammunition, some concealed in containers.
A 31-year-old man has since been arrested after he could not provide satisfactory answers or prove the validity of such a large quantity of firearms and ammunition. Also, no proper documentation was produced to substantiate the storage of weapons.
The weapons include rifles, shotguns and pistols. An investigation is already underway to determine the origin of these arms and ammunition and more importantly, to establish if they could have been used in the commission of an offence.
The suspect is expected to appear at Vanderbijlpark Magistrate Court soon, facing charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The public is reminded and encouraged to take advantage of the firearm amnesty period recently launched by Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, where a person can voluntarily surrender illegal and/or unwanted firearms and ammunition, or parts thereof. This also covers firearms that have not been renewed by the legal owner and are therefore regarded as illegal. This amnesty period will expire at the end of May 2020.
Those who hand over such firearms during this amnesty period will not be prosecuted, on condition that police confirm that the firearm(s) is/are not linked to any previous crime.
More information can be obtained from the local police station or by contacting the Central Firearms Registry (CFR) Call Centre at 012-353 6111.