The first payout to a member of the public for reporting an illegal firearm was paid out on 28 February.
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According to Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen, the recipient, who can not be named for security reasons, reported the illegal firearm in early December last year at the Gansbaai South African Police Service (SAPS) station.
Responding to the tip-off, SAPS confiscated a .38 Revolver as well as 2x9mm rounds and arrested a suspect. The suspect is due for a second court appearance on 27 March.
If they are convicted, the beneficiary will receive an additional R2 000.
‘My sincere gratitude goes to the individual for filing this report and ensuring that we could get another illegal firearm off our streets,’ says Allen.
‘It is brave citizenry such as this that we as the Western Cape Government (WCG) seek to reward. Collaborative efforts such as these are undoubtedly assisting in ensuring greater safety is achieved across our province.’
‘We have worked hard to ensure that processes are in place so that when a report comes in, all protocol is followed. These protocols will assist SAPS in taking illegal guns out of the hands of criminals.’
As per the Western Cape Government, the reward system comprises a total amount of R5 000. Residents are encouraged to report the locations of illegal firearms by contacting 021 466 0011, and tipoffs can be shared anonymously.
Under no circumstances will the details of the person reporting a firearm be made public.
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R1 500 will be awarded to the person who reported it once the firearm is collected by SAPS and confirmed to be illegal. Once an arrest directly linked to the firearms is made, a further R1 500 will be disbursed. Should there be a conviction, the person will receive the balance of R2 000.
‘Illegal firearms are a menace to our society. The third quarter, October to December 2023, crime statistics show that of 1 072 murders, 617 (57, 5%), which is the highest, were committed using a firearm,’ Allen adds.
‘As the WCG, our aim is to reverse this trend and halve the murder rate by 2029. We are ready to reward more of our residents. I urge the wider public, particularly in our murder hotspot areas where our Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers are deployed to follow this individual’s example so that more illegal firearms may be removed from our communities.’
‘We all have a role to play and through this programme, every resident can be a part of the solution.’
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