Police negligence threatens national security - AfriForum

AfriForum has submitted a request to the National Commissioner of Police, Riah Phiyega, for records of fire arms registers since the amnesty period in 2009 in order to determine how many weapons have been destroyed since that time. AfriForum also requested that it be made public how many weapons which are still to be destroyed are currently in possession of the police, and how many weapons have been misplaced by the police during the amnesty period. The Commissioner has until Wednesday, 11 June to respond (see report in The Times).

AfriForum's request came after the arrest of two Ukrainian civilians in Norwood, Johannesburg at the end of May, with more than 122 assault rifles, handguns, commercial explosives and ignition devices in their possession.

"AfriForum believes that poor weapons control may pose a threat to national security. This case was made public, but how many have been kept under wraps? We cannot afford that foreigners come to South Africa to practise crime, and even less that the police supply them with arms," said Ian Cameron, Head of Community Safety at AfriForum.

Cameron also said that the case of the infamous Czech crime boss Radovan Krejcir has been an indicator of how deeply crime has taken root in South Africa. Cameron believes that the arms scandal involving the Ukrainian civilians and so-called "destroyed" arms indicates widespread corruption in the country.

"According to researchers at the Institute for Security Studies organised crime has increased tremendously since the nineties, and now police involvement has become an added concern. We want this matter to be investigated immediately and thoroughly," Cameron concluded.      

Statement issued by Ian Cameron, Head: Community Safety, AfriForum, June 4 2014

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