KIMBERLEY – The SAPS in the Northern Cape town of De Aar has recovered approximately 15 000 rounds of historic ammunition, with an estimated value of R7 million, following a discovery by municipal employees in Sunrise, De Aar.

On Tuesday 6 October municipal employees working in the vicinity of Malay Camp in Sunrise stumbled upon crates containing ammunition. They immediately alerted the police, who responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary assessment.

The ammunition was identified as .303 rounds, believed to date back to the Anglo-Boer War.

A multi-disciplinary team comprising members of the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), the Explosives unit, the K9 Unit and the Sunrise detectives was deployed to the scene.

An enquiry was subsequently registered to facilitate further investigation into the discovery.

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On Friday, the team, assisted by military personnel, returned to the scene to safely retrieve the ammunition.

Approximately 15 000 rounds were recovered during the operation.

The surrounding area has since been declared safe, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the discovery are ongoing.

The public is reminded not to handle or tamper with any suspected ammunition or explosive materials, but to immediately report such discoveries to the police.

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