Minister Senzo Mchunu’s SA Police Service (SAPS) recovered less than five percent of the recorded 7 653 stolen and 588 lost firearms in the 2022/23 financial year.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) National Assembly (NA) public representative Molebogeng Letlape voiced concern over what she termed a significant number of lost and stolen firearms forming part of the illegal firearms in circulation in South Africa. She asked for details in a written question to Mchunu. Apart from numbers she wanted the police minister to explain what happens to recovered firearms.

Of the missing firearms – 8 241 in total – in the immediate past financial year, only 255 were traced and returned to their owners, she was told in a written reply.

Mchunu further informed her recovered firearms with visible serial numbers are “linked” with owners and returned to them “provided the owner is still fit to possess the firearm(s)”.

Firearms without serial numbers or where these have been removed – “obliterated” is the Ministerial word of choice – go to the SAPS ballistic section where forensic scientists analyse them by way of an etching process. If this is successful the results are used to trace the owner(s).

Firearms that cannot be returned to their legal owners are forfeited to the State for destruction.