| 2025/06/23 |
Media Statement
NELSPRUIT – Two suspects, aged 37 and 43, were arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in Calcutta on Sunday, 22 June 2025. According to the information received, members of the Police from former Acornhoek Cluster Task Team were on duty on the said day, at about 20h00 and were patrolling around the Calcutta area, near a certain Plaza where there is a fuel station. During their patrol, they noticed an Isuzu panel van and an Opel Corsa parked in front of the filling station, with the people standing outside the vehicles. Upon noticing the Police, some quickly went inside the Opel Corsa then drove off. The others that remained behind also went inside the Isuzu bakkie but as they were about to leave, the men and women in Blue stopped them. One male managed to evade being cornered and fled on foot, leaving behind his two fellows inside the bakkie. The astute members then began searching the two men as well as the vehicle and it was during this time when a pistol was discovered with its serial number filed off, along with about four cartridges. A magazine was also found hidden under the seat. The two were then charged accordingly. The vehicle was also confiscated and the firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it was not used in the commission of crime elsewhere. Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues. The two are expected to appear at the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 24 June 2025 facing the said charges.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the arrest and indicated that the proliferation of illegal firearms is a challenge that Police in collaboration with other law enforcers are continuously tackling and members of the public are encouraged to alert Police about the whereabouts of such weapons in order to prevent loss of life.
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