Cape Town - Police Minister Bheki Cele has revealed that an ex-German citizen was found with 42 guns and ammunition in Malmesbury, during an operation carried out late on Thursday evening.
Cele made the announced while delivering the crime statistics from October to December 2022.
Cele said SAPS is, and will continue to intensify intelligence-led operations to take down individuals or organised criminals hell-bent on terrorising communities.
During the briefing he mentioned that police are still on scene after their weapons and ammunitions bust in the area, and that they will expand later.
“As were are seated here today there is an operation that started last night at about 11 at the place Malmesbury, where this naturalised former German citizen has been found in a house, found with 42 guns, with two vans full of bullets.
"We are still working on opening other safes. He stays alone in this warehouse that is full of all these weapons. He's got the powder to refill the bullets, and is around here in Cape Town,“ he said.
Cele then went on to posit that while guns are known to cross the border, and there is evidence that they are stolen from police and households, “it does look like (similar to) drugs, people are beginning to produce their own (guns) around here ... that is here in Western Cape.
“Maybe it does answer who supplies these so many bullets,” he said.
The minister said that police started at about 11pm on Thursday counting bullets, and “haven't finished as we speak now”.
“They are full in two vans ... those bullets are refilled in the house of this (man who) does look like he's a former military man, that has been naturalised here,” Cele said.
Police have been contacted for more details but have yet to respond to queries.
WATCH | Police Minister Bheki Cele has revealed that an ex-German citizen was found with 42 guns and ammunition in Malmesbury while delivering the crime statistics from October to December 2022. #crimestats pic.twitter.com/XRk0JctQUs
— Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) February 17, 2023