‘Gun’ with the wind

STANDERTON- Police are baffled by the latest discovery of ten firearms registered to Lekwa Local Municipality that went missing from the municipality.  The discovery was made by Police when three officers from the Designated Firearms Office (DFO) visited the municipality’s main building in Mbonani Mayisela Street to conduct a routine firearms inspection on the morning of 10 June.

It is reported that when police officers conducted the inspection, they could not find any firearm register, firearm permit register or daily firearm movement register as set out by Firearms Act 60/2000.  When a Lekwa Municipal officer was asked by police to account for the missing firearms, it is reported that he told police that he was not responsible for the safekeeping thereof.  The person ‘responsible’ for the safekeeping of the firearms said that he  was given the keys to the safe in October 2014 after the Municipal Manager Mr Linda Tshabalala ordered that all traffic officers had to hand in their service firearms until they have applied for firearm competency certificates from the South African Police Services.

The officer told Police that he was never formally appointed as the responsible person for the control and safekeeping of the firearms.  Although he admitted that all traffic officers did return their firearms, he said that he is not the only person with access to the safe which is mounted inside a walk-in safe of which the keys are kept at the records department.

Police have confirmed that ten firearms are missing and include a 32 Astra revolver, a 7,65 Astra pistol and eight 9 mm Beretta Pistols.

A reliable source said that Police could not find any records to show how the firearms were booked in or out of the safe.  In addition to that, there is an element of suspicion that the missing firearms might have been stolen two to three years ago without anybody detecting that it went missing due to poor or no control.

It is not clear if anybody from Lekwa Municipality was aware of the missing firearms until Police conducted their inspection.

Lieutenant  Johannes Nhlabathi, the Communications Officer at Standerton Police confirmed that a case of theft has been registered.

He added that Police are concerned that ten firearms are now in the wrong hands.  He is appealing to anybody who has information to call the investigation officer, Captain Mark Nortjé, on 082 771 4236.  He assured the public that all information will be treated confidentially.  DM