KZN police in bid to close in on illegal fire arms

FAMILIES who are in possession of firearms whose legal owners have died have been warned that they are committing a crime if they do not hand them over to the police.

KwaZulu-Natal community safety and liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda told the provincial legislature that such firearms should immediately be handed over to the police, or the families should apply for new licences.

He was delivering a budget of R202.9 million for his department when he announced that the province – together with its national counterpart – would open an amnesty for handing over of illegal firearms between June 1 and December 31.

“We even appeal to families of the deceased, where you find that the father was in possession of a legal firearm, but once deceased, the family does not submit the deceased’s firearm to a police station, it automatically becomes an illegal firearm, because it is now sitting on the hands of a person who does not have a licence and does not deserve to hold that firearm,” said Kaunda.

Kaunda said that those who ignored the amnesty would be arrested and prosecuted if found with the firearms.

“If you are in possession of an illegal firearm you are working against the law,” he said.

Kaunda said in January police and intelligence officers had recovered 139 illegal firearms.

These included 119 pistols, six homemade guns, 10 rifles and 1431 rounds of live ammunition.

“The police arrested at least 151 suspects for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition,” he said.

Police had last year, between April and December, recovered more than 3000 firearms.

“We are duty-bound to do something urgently about this state of killer illegal firearms.

“To deal with this challenge, and in line with the national initiative, in the new financial year we will launch a high-profile anti-illegal firearms campaign,” said Kaunda.

To fight cross-border crime, which had seen stolen vehicles being exported to Mozambique through Manguzi, northern KZN’s border fence, Kaunda announced several measures.

These included the renovation of Manguzi police station, the deployment of additional police members, deployment of additional members of the SA National Defence Force along the border, and construction and staffing of a satellite police station in eSikemelele, “which is currently being used as a route to smuggle vehicles into Mozambique”.

NFP MPL Erikson Zungu described the province as the most dangerous when it came to violent crimes, and said police were facing challenges in dealing with the scourge.

“These are tough times to be a police officer, and the state needs to make certain that, from its side, our police are taken care of,” said Zungu.

Blessed Gwala, IFP MPL, said Kaunda should shift his focus to Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi, which he said was still a hub of “trigger-happy criminals”.

“Some parts of uMlazi Township have now become famous with regard to criminal activities,” he said.

DA MPL Rishigen Virann tore a copy of MEC Kaunda’s speech, which he then described as a political statement.

“This uncaring government has failed to protect fundamental rights as the communities of KZN continue to live in fear,” said Viranna.