537 Licensed Firearms Seized from Middleburg Gun Dealer for Failing to Comply with Firearms Control Act
Some of the licence fire arm found at the dealers in Middleburg photos supplied
By Lt Col Amanda van Wyk
SAPS
This week, the South African Police Service (SAPS) conducted 3 728 compliance inspections at business premises such as gun dealers and security companies in terms of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
The Act places strict obligations on licence holders to ensure safe storage, proper authorisation, 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.
The National Tracking and Tracing Task Team, operating under OPERATION BUYISA, arrested a 55-year-old gun dealer from Middleburg this week for failing to comply with the Firearms Control Act; 537 licensed firearms and ammunition were subsequently seized.
A preliminary report suggests the team operationalised information they obtained on a security company allegedly operating in Middleburg with expired firearm licences.
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 which was confirmed to be an unlicenced storage facility.
The gun dealer had allegedly ran out of storage space at its registered business premises.
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 authorisation; 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.