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The South African Police Service said that fewer firearms were handed in during the latter stages of the amnesty period which ends on Sunday, 31 May.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the amnesty sought to reduce the number of illegal firearms circulating in the country.
“It provides firearm owners with the opportunity to hand in illegal and unwanted firearms, geared at curbing serious and violent crime,” he said.
However, the SAPS acknowledged that unlike with previous amnesty periods, this time around there was a “decline in the number of firearms handed in voluntarily during April and May.”
This was attributed to the restriction on the movement of people during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Since the beginning of the amnesty period on 1 December, 19 950 firearms were surrendered.
“A further 168 809 rounds of ammunition and 757 firearm components have also been handed in as at 21 May 2020. The 19 590 firearms includes 795 estate firearms,” said SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Brenda Murudili.
She said all the firearms that were surrendered will undergo ballistic testing to ensure that they have not been used in the commission of any crime before they can be considered for destruction.
