National Defence Union Secretary, Pikkie Greef, says the weapons that were stolen during a break-in at the military base in Lyttelton, south of Pretoria, earlier this week, have been recovered.

Greef says the weapons were found in Hammanskraal. However, information of the exact location has not been disclosed. He says four officers and 19 guards have been taken in for questioning.

“The weapons have been recovered. It does rather disturbingly seem to be an inside job. The person in charge of the keys of the safe, the officer on duty and so on would be suspects in this case. They were found in Hammanskraal on the next morning of the theft. So four officers have been arrested and taken in for questioning, 19 guards have been taken in for questioning.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said in an earlier statement that the weapons included at least 19 R4 assault rifles, adding that the robbery at the Lyttleton Military Base is a symptom of bigger problems in the South Africa National Defence Force.

The ANC Study Group in Parliament has also condemned the robbery, saying it is concerning that such weapons are on the streets, posing a serious risk to the public.

The SANDF says the incident seems to have been an inside job and has taken in a number of suspects for questioning as investigations continue.

(Source: SABC News)