(a)(i)(aa) to (cc) The total number of firearms, which were circulated as found, without serial numbers and duplicated serial numbers, are as follows:
Province |
2014/ 2015 |
2015/ 2016 |
2016/ 2017 |
Eastern Cape |
540 |
1 089 |
1 741 |
Free State |
128 |
255 |
306 |
Gauteng |
1 043 |
596 |
3 069 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
1 149 |
1 212 |
4 332 |
Limpopo |
135 |
210 |
1 781 |
Mpumalanga |
355 |
396 |
1 178 |
North West |
185 |
325 |
276 |
Northern Cape |
23 |
96 |
36 |
Western Cape |
1 779 |
1 024 |
675 |
TOTAL |
5 337 |
5 203 |
13 394 |
(a)(ii) The requested information is part of the statistical information, which must be published by the Minister of Police.
(b)(i)(ii)(iii) The number of firearms, as mentioned in paragraph (a) supra, were recovered by the South African Police Service (SAPS). Due to the fact that the majority of the firearms are unidentifiable (i.e. serial number erased), it is not always possible to link these firearms to official institutions such as the SAPS, security service providers and private persons.
Taking the above into consideration, this office cannot provide reliable figures, regarding part (b) of this question.