Cache of firearms and ammunition seized in Kouga

OUBERTINA – In an effort to turn the tide, save innocent lives and cease the proliferation of illegal firearms during the amnesty period, police members in SAPS Joubertina recovered and confiscated a cache of firearms and ammunition on a farm in Kouga yesterday, 02 December 2020. A 58-year-old male was also arrested.

The day-long investigation led members to a homestead on a farm in Kouga where several firearms including 2 different calibres of rifles, 2 different calibres of a shotgun, a pistol, a rifle shotgun combination and over 120 rounds of various rounds of ammunition were found. After a thorough search of the farm, the stash was found in a room.

Investigators are working with ballistics to determine ownership of these arms as the serial numbers on some of them had been filed off. The suspect faces a charge of possession of unlicensed firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition. He will appear in the local magistrate court later this week.

The Acting District Commissioner, Brigadier John Lebok expressed his gratitude to the community for providing information which ultimately led to the discovery and the arrest. ‘Community support is pivotal in our fight to eradicate the proliferation of illegal firearms. Being in possession of an unlicensed firearm is a criminal offence, and I urge other members of the community to use this amnesty period, which has been extended until the 31 January 2021 to hand in all unwanted firearms and ammunition to your local police station, as it may free you from prosecution,’ added Brig Lebok.

The community is encouraged to report any knowledge that they may have on firearms that are being kept unlawfully to their nearest police station or on the Crime Stop number 0860010111 anonymously. We shall all live in a safer South Africa, if we all commit in ensuring a smooth Firearm Amnesty Process and give South Africans the opportunity and encourage them to surrender illegal/unwanted firearms, ammunition and/or firearm parts.