Monday, August 13, 2007

DA questions SAPS ammunition control

By Rhodé Marshall
13 August 2007

The Democratic Alliance says it has received reports regarding the negligent control of ammunition within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The report says that full R5 rifle magazines are frequently kept loose in police station safes. In addition, when shifts at the stations change, frequently only the magazines are counted and not the individual rounds of ammunition.

“Any member can just obtain keys for the safe from the duty officer to book out radios and other equipment kept in the safes,” says DA spokesperson Dianne Kohler.

She added that citizens should be extremely concerned about the negligence which could ultimately be very dangerous.

“We should all ask why there is no proper control taking place because at this stage ammunition can be easily be removed, undetected,” says Kohler.

Kohler says the DA will be submitting parliamentary questions to the minister of Safety and Security to request details on the management of ammunition.

The department of Safety and Security could not be reached for comment.

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