NELSPRUIT – The Provincial Commissioner SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has been encouraged by the good work performed by a team from Stabilization Operation 2 at Ehlanzeni District after arresting a 25 year old man in possession of a firearm with ammunition. The man was arrested in Low’s Creek on 15 June 2022 round 22:30, during an intelligence-driven operation that the team conducted.

According to the information, members from the team assembled their resources after receiving information about a man in possession of a firearm. The information led them to a house in Low’s Creek. Upon their arrival they found him in the house whereby a search was conducted and one Norinco pistol was discovered with 8 live ammunition as well as a magazine. The man could not produce a licence thereof hence he was arrested and charged for possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition.

The suspect is expected to appear at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court on Friday 17 June 2022 facing the said charges. As part of the investigation, the confiscated firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it was not used in the commission of crime elsewhere meanwhile police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges upon him.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has since taken this opportunity to show the public that police will not back down in their quest of creating a safe and secure environment for communities, which include tackling the proliferation of firearms in the society. “I think by now the public is aware of the intensive work done by police recently with regard to the recovery of unlicensed firearms and ammunition which contributes much on violent crimes in the province. These achievements should serve as a motivation to the general public to work closely with the police and provide valuable information that can assist in the recovery of even more firearms”.

Source: South African Police Service