Police swooped on a homestead in the KwaGqikazi, in KwaZulu-Natal, where they found six AK47 rifles, two Luger rifles, an R5 rifle, a revolver, two pistols and more than 120 rounds of ammunition.
Police arrested 12 suspects and also recovered a stolen car.
“These suspects are being profiled and I am hopeful that they will be linked to the recent spate of serious and violent crimes in the province,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa.
“Their firearms will be subjected to ballistic tests to ascertain if they were used in the commission of any crimes. We wish to extend our gratitude to those members of the community who conveyed their suspicions to local police.
“It is only through this type of community participation that we can win the war on crime.”
Recounting events leading to the arrest and recovery of the car and weapons, Langa said police acted on information that suspicious activities were taking place at a homestead in KwaGqikazi.
Langa said on Tuesday police stormed the homestead taking the men by surprise. “Police seized a stolen vehicle as well as six AK47 rifles, two Luger rifles, an R5 rifle, a revolver, two pistols and more than 120 rounds of ammunition.”
Initial investigations suggest that one of the pistols was stolen during a robbery at a business in Vryheid earlier this month. The recovered vehicle was stolen from Diepkloof in February this year.
“Indications are that they were in the area to undergo a ‘cleansing ceremony’ for crimes that they have allegedly committed when police swooped on them.”
The men aged between 23 and 46 were charged with the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition as well as possession of stolen property. They were expected to appear in the Ulundi Magistrate’s Court.
– African News Agency (ANA)
