Firearm management a huge risk to public safety
17 May 2023
MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, ALDERMAN JP SMITH
I note, with concern, a media article stating that not a single confiscated firearm has been destroyed by SAPS in the first three months of this year.
I have confirmed the information with the office of the Western Cape Minister of Community Safety and Police Oversight that the SAPS have confiscated nearly 700 firearms in the first quarter, but that no illegal firearms have been destroyed.
This information is cause for alarm and one needs to ask whether the delay in the destruction of illegal firearms is due to cases not being concluded by the courts, or some other reason.
The destruction of illegal firearms is a centralised process which the local SAPS have no control over, as these weapons have to be transported to Pretoria.
This increases the risk of firearms going missing in transit or that they may be illegally sold or placed in the hands of the criminals which many of these firearms were seized from, as we know was previously happening due to the actions of now-disgraced members within SAPS.
My concern is that there is no way for the public to be sure that such illegal practices are not still continuing or that the SAPS member who was convicted was acting alone, or took the fall on behalf of others.
Destroying these illegal firearms ensures that dangerous weapons being taken off our streets do end up in the smelter where they belong.
These concerns detract from the very good work that is being done on the ground by both the City's enforcement agencies, and their SAPS counterparts and must cause these officers some discouragement.
It cannot be the case that the gains made are undone by the failure of legal processes that should follow the detection and confiscation of illegal weapons, but also other contraband.
There are serious shortcomings within our national policing apparatus, and the criminal justice system too is in need of a serious injection of resources and skills to address the various backlogs like forensic testing and court cases.
The City and Province have, on numerous occasions, made the call for the devolution of policing.
We are equipped to assist or take over some functions such as investigation and crime intelligence, and could potentially support SAPS with the destruction of illegal firearms.
Our residents deserve more, and by working together and more strategically, we can indeed build safer communities together.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
