Eastern Cape cops lose firearms to criminals: DA

Eastern Cape police continue to lose state firearms to criminals at the rate of 128 a year.

In the last three financial years of 2015-16‚ 2016-17 and 2017-18‚ the province lost 297 firearms and of these‚ 129 were because of police losing them or the weapons being stolen from members.

DA MPL Bobby Stevenson said a further 730 guns were stolen from the state between 2009 and 2014.

That gives a total of 1‚027 guns shifting out of state hands into the hands of criminals in eight years‚ or a rough average of 128 guns getting into the hands of rogues every year.

“Police members need to be disarming criminals‚ not arming them‚” said Stevenson‚ in a statement.

- DispatchLIVE