Spotlight on missing firearms at Mitchell’s Plain Police station. Picture: Leon Lestrade/Independent Newspapers
Cape Town -The pressure has mounted on SAPS to hold senior officers accountable for the disappearance of 15 firearms and eight imitation guns from Mitchell’s Plain police station a year ago.
This, as five junior officers were dismissed, raising concern over the senior management’s role in the security breach.
One of the dismissed officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Cape Argus they applied for arbitration and found their discharge unfair.
“There is one working, he gave the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit (SVC) instructions for one person to take the exhibits (firearms and ammunition) away,” said the officer.
“Another officer, a sergeant and another, a Constable, who had followed the instruction by their Captain, was fired, how is that fair?
“This Captain still remains at the station and one who worked at the SAP13 received a warning.
“I never worked at SVC, it was an instruction that one person take the exhibits to the lab once a week.
“That person who stole the firearms, it was his week to take the exhibits away. The Constable and Sergeant gave the exhibits to him based on an instruction. The constable who worked in SVC asked me to book out his firearms, he did not have his appointment certificate, he was with me.
“He went with me and he gave his firearms to this other officer based on instructions.
“How is this fair?” “We were fired and you know what damage it caused to our families?
“We have homes, we have policies and things that need to be paid. They did this to get rid of us.”
Senior officers, one of them Brigadier Jan Alexander, was moved to Bellville police station during the inquiry, while another who worked in the SAP13, where evidence is kept, received a warning.
Another in the SVC, who allegedly instructed the junior officers to transport the exhibits to the Forensic Laboratory (FSL) Plattekloof once a week, also received a warning.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Anroux Marais, said senior police commanders should be held accountable if it was found that they were negligent or had a role in the disappearance of the firearms.
She said she would be take up the matter with police management this week.
“We are aware of this case, which we are monitoring,” said Marais in response to the Cape Argus when asked about the investigation.
“Theft of firearms, especially those under the control of the SAPS, is a huge concern.
“We welcome the dismissal of those police officers involved in the theft. If investigations point to negligence on the part of any senior SAPS commander, we urge SAPS management to act decisively and hold them to account.
“The SAPS must send a strong message that severe consequences will follow and punishment in case of deviation from standard operational procedures and controls – even more so if such create an enabling environment for criminals to terrorise communities and tarnish the reputation of SAPS.
Abie Isaacs, chairperson of the Cape Flats Safety Forum, was part of a process of handing over a memorandum to senior police last year, calling for senior police management to be removed.
“Last year, the Cape Flats Safety Forum with others staged a protest at Mitchell’s Plain police station.
“A memorandum of demands was handed over, calling for an investigation and station management to be replaced.
“We were informed a person was arrested. Almost a year later we have been informed via other sources that various members have gone through the internal SAPS process, which we as an organisation has no control over.
“It was brought to our attention that only junior members have been dismissed and senior managers still hold their positions.
“We further call on SAPS to give the community at large feedback. We have indicated in the memorandum that ultimately it is the responsibility of management to ensure effective functioning of the station.”
Meanwhile, Detective Constable Lubabalo Malongwe continues to make appearances in court for charges relating to the disappearance of the guns. Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, said they could not yet respond due to availability of staff on duty on Sunday.
Last year Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu’s office said they considered the possibility of installing tracking devices in police firearms following the loss of stolen guns in the country.
During parliamentary questioning, his office revealed that between October 2023 and March 2024, 371 police firearms as well as 17 assault rifles were either lost or stolen.
They said of the 371 firearms, 350 were pistols, 12 were R5 rifles, five were R1 rifles and four were shotguns.