JP Smith: SAPS deny claims that ‘destroyed’ firearm returned to the streets

Back in March this year, City of Cape Town member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, claimed that a firearm seized during the arrest of a gang member was reported to have been destroyed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) several years prior. Now, SAPS have clapped back, saying that Smith’s claims are “void of truth”. 

JP Smith firearm claims disputed  

Smith told IOL in March that the fact that firearms are being used in crimes despite SAPS having reported them destroyed is “hugely problematic”. He was referring to an incident on Saturday 6 March 2021, when officers were tipped off about an armed gang member in Hanover Park.

As they approached the suspect, he ran away and was cornered in a house in the area. Officers found him in possession of a revolver, as well as a matchbox with ammunition.

“When staff arrived at Philippi police station with the suspect, they discovered that the firearm they found in his possession is listed as having been destroyed. This is hugely problematic,” Smith said.

“Cape Town has a massive problem with illegal firearms and violent crime involving firearms, so it is disheartening that firearms that are meant to be taken out of circulation are still on our streets.”

SAPS ‘set the record straight’  

But in a statement issued on Monday, SAPS spokesperson in the Western Cape, Colonel Andrè Traut, said that Smith’s allegations that SAPS had not done what they said they had was completely untrue. 

“The Western Cape police would like to react to the claim made by Alderman JP Smith in the 8 March 2021 edition of the Cape Argus that a firearm found in the illegal possession of a suspect by Metro Police officers two days before in Hanover Park was destroyed by SAPS back in 2008,” he said. 

He said that the particular firearm that Smith is referring to was reported stolen by the licensed owner on 1 July 2003 in Bellville, and was tracked down during a crime operation on 17 December 2004 by members of the Elsies River Crime Prevention Unit. 

“This firearm was recovered and a suspect was arrested. Following a hearing in terms of Section 102 of the Firearms Control Act, the owner was found unfit to poses a firearm and it was forfeited to the State, and subsequently destroyed in 2008,” said Traut. 

Smith claims prompt probe into firearm incident  

Traut said that the claims made by Smith that the weapon had made its way back onto the streets of Cape Town prompted the launch of an investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit to determine whether there was any truth to the matter. 

“The outcome of this investigation determined that the particular firearm destroyed by SAPS was a Taurus with the serial number stamped on the right hand side. The one seized in Hanover Park by Metro Police was a Rossi with the same serial number as the Taurus, but stamped on the left hand side, with traces that it was not done by the manufacturer,” he said, adding that an “electro-acid etching process” undertook by the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory revealed that this Rossi’s original serial number was located on the right hand side, before it was removed. 

“This process further revealed the original serial number which allowed the investigating officer to trace the firearm back to its roots. The firearm was reported stolen on 18 May 2004 at Steenberg police station by the executor of the late owner’s estate.”

“Further investigation discovered that both owners of the two firearms were acquainted and knew each other at the time that the two firearms went missing years ago, which in all probability led to the Taurus’ serial number being used to guise the Rossi. Our records reveal that the seizure of this Rossi is the very first discovery of this particular firearm, and that it has never been in our possession before, and was not on our database as destroyed.”