Cape Town — Rise Mzansi has expressed concern over the number of police firearms that have been lost in the past six months.
In a statement, Rise Mzansi revealed that 371 firearms were either lost or stolen in the period between 1 October 2023 and 32 March 2024, while 29 128 rounds of ammunition belonging to South African Police Services (SAPS officers were also recorded as lost or stolen.
The figures were made available to Rise Mzansi by Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu. Party spokesperson, Makashule Gana, was disappointed at the figures.
“These horrific figures translate into approximately 60 SAPS firearms either lost or stolen every month, with Gauteng registering the highest number at 121 firearms either lost or stolen over the 6-month period,” Gana said.
The party said two worrying issues came out of Mchunu’s reply, namely that the firearms lost were mainly used in the commission of cash-in-transit (CIT) heists and that Mchunu said the total number of rounds recovered cannot be identified as either SAPS or privately-owned.
[MEDIA STATEMENT] We are not safe: 371 SAPS firearms and 29,000 rounds of ammunition either lost or stolen in six months – Statement by @Makashule Gana MP, RISE Mzansi National Assembly Caucus Whip. #RISEMzansi#ForThePeopleByThePeople pic.twitter.com/dagMJfSEeX
— RISE Mzansi (@Rise_Mzansi) September 26, 2024
The party called on SAPS Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, to detail a crisis plan to prevent further stolen firearms, implement consequences for stolen firearms, and develop intelligence and detective capacity to recover stolen guns.
Gana added that every lost or stolen firearm empowers criminals and disempowers the State to keep the people of South Africa safe.
“Rise Mzansi views the loss and theft of State firearms and ammunition as a crisis that needs to be addressed with the necessary urgency it deserves,” Gana concluded.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
