Durban - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has arrested a 22-year-old man who was allegedly found in possession of unlicensed firearms in Msinga in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said that on August 24, Hawks members from Newcastle Serious Organised Crime Investigation working together with National Intervention Unit and Glencoe K9 unit arrested Sabelo Ngubane.
Mhlongo said members received information about a suspect who was in possession of unlicensed firearms at Mngeni Reserve near Msinga.
He said a joint operation was conducted and they proceeded to the said homestead.
“A search was conducted and five firearms including an AK-47, .303 rifle, .22 rifle and two 9mm pistols with live rounds of ammunition were found,” said Mhlongo.
Mhlongo said Ngubane was placed under arrest and charged with possession of unlicensed firearms as well as live rounds of ammunition.
“He briefly appeared in the Msinga Magistrate’s Court today (Thursday). The case was postponed to 7 September 2023 for bail application.”
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks provincial head Major-General Lesetja Senona commended the members for the arrest of the accused.
“The Mercury” reported on Wednesday that two men were arrested on the N2 southbound near Ballito on Tuesday afternoon and found in possession of two firearms, a rifle and a pistol, as well as ammunition.
According to police in the report, the Provincial Taxi Violence Task Team members working together with the Tactical Response Team (TRT) acted on intelligence that the suspects were allegedly on a mission to execute a planned assassination.
“One of the suspects was positively linked to a mass shooting in Port Shepstone on July 25 where four people were fatally wounded and five left injured when a taxi they were seated in was shot at,” he said.