Action Society supports the call by DA shadow minister of police, Andrew Whitfield, for a national SAP13 locker audit, but also believes the audit must not only include SAP13 lockers at police stations but all firearms with state serial numbers.
These are firearms that are used for official state business, firearms that are stored for evidence, firearms that have been handed over for amnesty and firearms set for destruction.
“The audit should not be limited to SAPS, the audit should include provincial services such metro police and the traffic services” says Ian Cameron , spokesperson for Action Society.
The audit is to determine the status of police firearms that are still under legitimate control of SAPS or in the hands of violent criminals.
On the 3rd of February 2022, Action Society called for an immediate national firearm audit to be conducted. This was following investigations that exposed the increase of firearms stolen from the Norwoord Police Station.
“The audit should not be conducted by any internal SAPS or other government department as proposed, it must be done through public private partnerships. Action Society calls for a panel of auditing firms that will work together to assess the state of governance over firearms,” concludes Cameron.
ISSUED BY: Action Society
DATE: 24 February 2022
