Cape Town - The newly-appointed Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu has committed to review calls by Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Anroux Marais, for a gun destruction site in the region after it was shot down by his predecessor Bheki Cele.
Marias said putting up a gun destruction site this would stop corruption as has happened after 15 firearms authorisation card on the day, and eight imitation guns went missing at Mitchell’s Plain Police in November 2023.
This week, provincial police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed that five police officers who were suspended following the paper trail of what happened on the day the firearms disappeared, were dismissed, but that the investigation had not confirmed how the guns vanished.
It is understood the internal investigation was to determine whether the officers were negligent in their administrative duties.
“In response to your enquiry, kindly be advised that the loss of firearms at the Mitchells Plain is viewed in a very serious light by provincial police management which necessitated serious consequences for those implicated,” he said.
“This office can confirm that five SAPS members were dismissed as a result of departmental processes, which are yet to be finalised.”
Earlier former WC Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagan Allen, Safety and Security Mayco Member, JP Smith and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis all called for a designated firearms destruction site and a full scale investigation into the missing firearms and handed over a memorandum at the police station in January 2024, following the murder of 12-year-old Firdous Kleinsmith.
Firdous, who was in Grade 7 at Leglaasi Nieyah Primary School, was shot while waiting for her scholar transport on January 30 2024.
Station Commander, Brigadier Jan Alexander was transferred to Bellville Police Station amidst the controversy.
Mchunu told Weekend Argus this week when asked about the destruction site that he would be engaging with senior police to map out what his mandates would be.
“I'm meeting top officers for a talk this week and soon thereafter, we are looking forward to a longer substantive session where issues will be dealt. We can then be able to give you a straight answer.”
Mchunu was a former school teacher and once held the position of Minister of Public Service and Administration and served as the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and was the Minister of Water and Sanitation.
Marais said Cele had not committed to solve the issue and called on Mchunu to react in his capacity.
“Previously, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government appealed to the former Minister of Police, General Cele, to instead consider a dedicated destruction facility within the Province, to allow for tighter control measures and proper oversight to ensure these weapons were indeed destroyed. This request was rejected by General Cele.
“With a new national Minister, Minister Senzo Mchunu in place for SAPS, we are looking at relaunching this application and will be willing to collaborate in order to overcome any legislative or resource based obstacles, to ensure the hard work done by our LEAP members and those in SAPS are not unravelled by instances of corruption within the SAPS national framework.”
JP Smith, Mayco member for Safety and Security said the disappearance of firearms remained a concern.
“It has been of great concern where occurrences have arisen in the past, where LEAP officers seize weapons on the streets and formulated the arrest, only to find the arrested suspect back on the streets days later, or worse still, firearms that were previously registered as handed in to SAPS, back on the streets in the hands of gangs.”
He added that widely publicised criminal prosecutions have detailed how former senior ranking SAPS members manipulated the process of where firearms were destined for destruction at a Gauteng based destruction facility, but where these were then instead circulated into the hands of gangsters across the Western Cape.
Former police officer Christiaan Prinsloo, who sold thousands of firearms meant for destruction, was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment and was granted parole in 2020.
Adele Kirsten, Director of Gun Free SA said it was important for firearms to be secured by those authorised to protect it and that the responsibility began there.
“We welcome the dismissal of the five officers who failed to secure the weapons at the saps 13 store at Mitchell’s Plain,” she said.
“This sends an important message to cops that negligent behaviour will lead to consequences.
“Under the South African gun law the police have an obligation towards their citizens to safeguard any firearms under their control.
“Stockpile management is an essential element in effective gun control, they are also critical exhibits in the solving of crime.
“We have recommended that at least once a month the station commander and one other police officer should audit all the guns in the Saps 13 store and once or twice a month do a spot check.”
Lynn Philipps, Cape Flats Safety Development Forum, who also handed a petition and memorandum to police calling for transparency, said it was inexcusable that senior officers were not given the axe following the disappearance of the firearms.
“Our dismay is the fact that only junior officials are kept accountable, despite that the station commander and his management team has a role to fulfil when it comes to safeguarding of exhibits that are used in serious and violent crimes,” she said.