SAPS were busy with the operation, conducting stop and searches duties in the Middelburg CBD.
It was during this period around 15:00, when they stopped a man and after searching him, they reportedly found a 9 mm pistol as well as a magazine with seven live ammunition in his possession.
The man could not produce a licence hence he was apprehended and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition.
The firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether the weapon was not used in the commission of crime elsewhere.
At this stage, Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspect as the investigation continues.
The man is expected to appear at the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, facing the said charges.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has been elated with the recovery of the firearm and the arrest of the suspect.
“The proliferation of firearms continues to be a challenge however we are doing our best to address this hence if one can be observant, since the year (2023) began we managed to arrest many suspects and recovered many firearms.”
“This is a sign of our determination to remove these deadly weapons in an effort to create a safe environment for the citizens, ” said the General.
In other news – Continue resting in peace: Mzansi celebs who died in 2023
It’s a new year, and we do not forget the loved ones we lost in the previous year! From musicians and actors to sports stars, chefs, media personalities, and activists, the South African entertainment industry bid farewell to several big names in 2023.
Here’s a look at some of the celebrities who died in 2023: Rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his lifelong friend and celebrity author Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane were shot dead outside a restaurant in Durban on February 10. Their murder is under investigation. Read More