High calibre automatic rifle seized from protesting varsity students, SA police say
Police said a 24-year old male suspect and a 21-year old woman were arrested and were due to appear in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on two charges of possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition as well as possession of a dangerous weapon.
PRETORIA, March 18 (ANA) –An illegal, high calibre automatic rifle with a loaded magazine has been seized from protesting students in Johannesburg, South African police said on Thursday.
The weapon was found on Wednesday in the possession of two students in Braamfontein, Gauteng province police spokeswoman Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said in a statement.
She said the force had been on high alert for the past week, monitoring protests by students at various tertiary institutions across Gauteng, particularly in Johannesburg.
“A crime intelligence report about a dangerous weapon was operationalised and led police to a gathering in Braamfontein where students were in attendance,” said Peters.
“It is at this gathering where (police) observed two students on Stiemens street carrying an automatic rifle. The officers kept close watch and saw the pair drive off in a vehicle.”
The students’ car was followed and ultimately stopped by the Johannesburg flying squad and tactical response team in Auckland Park.
“Police searched and found in the vehicle a Galil, an automatic rifle of Israeli-make, with a loaded magazine. A 24-year old male suspect and a 21-year old female suspect were arrested immediately and are expected to appear in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court in due course on two charges of possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition; and possession of a dangerous weapon,” said Peters.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela said it was deeply concerning that such a high calibre weapon was in the hands of protesting students.
“This goes to prove the magnitude of the problem police are facing in terms of the proliferation of illegal firearms. That this could be in the arms of a student is worrisome, notwithstanding the question why a firearm of this calibre was brought to a gathering of students in the first place,” said Mawela.
The force has come under harsh criticism over its heavy-handedness in tackling the student protests after a passer-by, Mthokosizi Ntumba, was shot and killed by police last week during a march in Braamfontein by students from the University of the Witwatersrand.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa
