A man who was renting out illegal guns to criminals and security companies was arrested in Mthatha on Friday, said Eastern Cape police.
Superintendent Mzukisi Fatyela said the 45-year-old man arrested used to be the manager of a store that sold firearms.
When new legislation about the production of firearms came into being, the owner of the store closed it down.
However, the manager of the store, instead of returning the firearms to officials, then kept them and began renting them out.
”He was circulating firearms, renting them out to criminals,” said Fatyela.
He also then opened a cash-loan business in Mthatha and gave the guns to security guards guarding this business.
He also apparently rented out illegal firearms to other security companies.
Fatyela said police had been following information about the man’s ”rental” business since February this year.
On Friday morning, they carried out an operation to arrest him and seize illegal firearms.
Five pistols and 25 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Police also found 119 rounds of ammunition suitable for a rifle.
Fatyela said police believed the man was renting out dozens more firearms, including rifles, and investigations would continue to try to locate these.
The man was working with other people who would put him in touch with clients wanting to rent the guns. Police would be looking to find and arrest these people.
Fatyela said the pistols recovered would be sent for ballistic testing to see if they could be connected to other crimes.
The man would appear in court shortly on possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. — Sapa