By Ragheema Mclean

A man was arrested in the Bishop Lavis area on Thursday (04, April 2024) for the possession of an illegal semi-automatic firearm and ammunition.

SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said that members of Bishop Lavis police responded to a complaint of a shooting in Deer Road, Bishop Lavis. Upon arrival, the officers saw a male fitting the description of the suspect provided earlier, getting into a Toyota Hilux light delivery vehicle and speeding off.

Twigg added “The police members tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver picked up speed upon which a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle was brought to a halt, with the suspect being arrested by the members as he disembarked the vehicle.”

He will appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrates’ court on Monday.

Meanwhile, Gun Free South Africa is urging the government to take action to prevent criminals from obtaining firearms easily. This call comes after metro police seized a modified firearm, converted into a fully automatic weapon, in Hanover Park.

Speaking on VOC’s Ramadan AM on Friday, Gun Free SA researcher Claire Taylor said the organisation is calling for a change in the law to prohibit licensing of semi-automatic weapons to civilians.

She noted, “We know that 34 people are shot dead in South Africa every day and that guns are the leading cause of murder in this country.”

“Most of these murders and most other gun related crime is committed with an illegal gun. The biggest source of illegal guns in the country are licensed gun owners so that would be the state as well as citizens who own guns for self-defence.”

Photo: Supplied

VOC News