Police have confiscated over 500 licensed firearms this week, following compliance inspections at 3 728 business premises. These operations were carried out at premises such as gun dealers and security companies. Officers carried out the operations in terms of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

Police have confiscated over 500 licensed firearms this week

The Act places strict obligations on licence holders to ensure safe storage, proper authorization, and accountability for all licensed firearms and ammunition. According to the Act, all gun owners must be in possession of both a competency certificate and a valid licence(s) or permit to possess a firearm as an individual or for business purposes.

Expired firearm licences

Lt Col Amanda van Wyk says the National Tracking and Tracing Task Team, operating under OPERATION BUYISA, arrested a 55-year-old gun dealer from Middelburg. He was taken into custody for failing to comply with the Firearms Control Act. She says 537 licensed firearms and ammunition were then seized. A preliminary report suggests the team followed up information they obtained on a security company allegedly operating in Middelburg with expired firearm licences.

A large quantity of licensed firearms and ammunition stored at the plot

Further investigation led the team to a plot on the outskirts of eMalahleni after interviewing a gun dealer who reportedly stored the security company’s firearms. The team found a large quantity of licensed firearms and ammunition stored at the plot. This was confirmed to be an unlicensed storage facility. The gun dealer had allegedly ran out of storage space at its registered business premises.

Important information for licensed gun owners and institutions

Licensed gun owners and institutions are reminded that in terms of Section 120(1) of the Firearms Control Act, it is an offence to:

• – contravene or fail to comply with any provision of the Act;
• – breach conditions of a licence, permit or authorization; or
• – disregard any lawful notice or requirement issued under the Act.

Regular firearm compliance inspections at business premises enforce accountability and ensure records of licensed firearms and ammunition are kept accurately.