Speaker notes by National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega: International Firearm Destruction Day, Gauteng
The Deputy Minister of Police, Ms Sotyu,
The Mayor of Sedibeng Municipality,
Deputy National Commissioner,
Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, Lt Gen Mothiba,
The Acting Divisional Commissioner of Visible Policing, Maj Gen Motlhala,
National CPF Board Chair Andy Mashaile,
Members of the news media,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning. Thank you for allowing me to say a few words as we again gather to destroy weapons, many of which have undoubtedly been used in the commission of violent and terrifying crimes. Illegal guns remain hugely problematic in our society. I wish I could be standing here before you this morning and say: "don't worry, this will soon be a problem of the past".
Unfortunately, there is a lot that we, as the police and society at large, have to do to tackle this problem. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there are way, way, too many illegal firearms out there. There isn't a day that goes by without an illegal firearm being used to commit a crime.
Deputy Minister, the preventative measures we have put in place to prevent the loss of firearms by our members is showing very good results. At some point, we were losing some 5000 firearms annually. This number has reduced to 771 in the past financial year. Although this is a good achievement, we must continue to do more. As the SAPS, we must look after our firearms.
A firearm is an important tool of trade. Our members should exercise care and be vigilant when carrying out their duties. Criminals want those firearms and they must not get them from us, no matter the situation. We must do everything possible to stop criminals from robbing police officials.
Furthermore, we must continue to be ruthless in dealing with corruption within the police. Just yesterday, Colonel Christaan Prinsloo, who was stationed in Gauteng as the commander of the Firearm, Liquor and Second Hand Goods Control, appeared in the Bellville Magistrates Court on charges of corruption, racketeering, murder and attempted murder, and money laundering. With 36 years experience in policing, there was absolutely nothing he did not know about firearms and our legislation. We relied on him for expert advice.
To say we are disappointed, is a gross understatement. We are furious, hundreds of firearms were allegedly stolen and sold to gangsters. This man allegedly stole from the police and society at large. We are convinced that with the evidence we have amassed, the court will hopefully find him guilty.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has already encircled him to make sure he derives no benefit from his ill-gotten gains. We will use this as a case study because we intend to withhold his pension fund monies. Innocent lives have been lost as a result of his alleged selfish acts - that is beyond intolerable.
Three others have been arrested in connection with this massive investigation in the Western Cape. This part of the investigation is now complete and awaiting prosecutorial decision.
Ever since we started intensifying our efforts to uproot corruption within the Central Firearms Registry, we have dismissed two employees including a Brigadier. Many others resigned after they were informed that they were going to be disciplined. Currently, three are on suspension. We must do more in order for us to turn this important component of the SAPS around.
On that note, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you our new head of the Central Firearm Registry, Major General Maropeng Momethethi. She has been in the police for 26 years and was recently Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Operations in the Northern Cape.
General, I wish you everything of the best. We know that you have taken on a role where there are many challenges. There is a lot of talk in public. Everyone is making all sorts of allegations and demands but, take it from me... don't pay too much attention to the noise out there. Focus on the task at hand.
As part of cleaning up the streets and making communities safer in line with the National Development Plan, today we will destroy 14 382 firearms in accordance with the United Nations’ Calendar, on this Firearm Destruction Day.
We join our counterparts from all over the world, in particular the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation and Organisation member countries. South Africa is chairing the organisation and we are pleased with the cross border operations our officers are busy with to reduce illegal guns in the region.
We were here in January to destroy 9 447 firearms. This means that more than 120 000 firearms and around 1 million rounds of ammunition have been destroyed over the past four years. We will be back again here before the end of this year to destroy more firearms.
Some of these firearms were voluntarily surrendered to the SAPS and were once legally owned, while some were seized as exhibits after being used in the commission of a crime or were confiscated during operations, and others were unlawfully possessed firearms. This number also includes firearms that were previously owned by the SAPS and other official institutions.
The unlawful firearms were recovered as a result of the diligent work of the men and women in blue, who perform duties day by day, to protect and serve as per our Constitutional mandate. The continuous increase in the number of firearms confiscated is a direct result of our intensified crime prevention operations and police visibility. We take it to heart that there are many families in this country who have suffered tremendous grief as a result of the crimes perpetrated with these unlawful firearms.
Ladies and gentlemen, these firearms have been subjected to all processes prescribed by our Firearms Control Legislation, which includes the publication of their details.
We do believe that we still have much to do to recover all unlawful firearms from the criminals in this country. We need everyone to come on board and work with us. If you are aware of any illegal firearm, call us on 0860010111. I can assure you that we will most certainly do something about it.
While we place a lot of emphasis on illegal or unlawfully possessed firearms, we must also bear in mind that violence is also committed with lawfully owned firearms, albeit on a lesser scale. As crimes against women and children are a high priority for the SAPS and government as a whole, it is heart rending when a gun is used to commit an act of violence against a woman who is an intimate partner. Such acts are sometimes accompanied by suicide by the perpetrator.
It is, therefore, important that when partners are being interviewed in relation to a firearm licence application, to be honest about an inclination towards violence on the part of the applicant. We know that police officials, as part of the community, are not immune to committing such acts or indeed, to being victims. We are reminded of the horrific incident in which a police constable recently shot his partner and others at a police station, which is the subject of an intensive investigation.
The South African Police Service is very proud to be participating in International Gun Destruction Day, 9 July 2015, a day on which arms and ammunition are publicly destroyed throughout the world. May this day be a reminder to all South Africans that we are and remain committed to ridding this country of all forms of crime.
I thank you.
