DURBAN – The South African Police Service (SAPS) announced that a firearms compliance inspection will continue at the Durban-based premises of the security company of controversial businessman Calvin Mathibeli. Lt Colonel Vincent Mukhathi, national spokesperson for police, confirmed that an inspection will take place today – Thursday, 19 March – starting at 11:00.
The High Court of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Division sitting in Durban, yesterday – Wednesday, 18 March, dismissed with costs Mathibeli’s urgent application to interdict police from conducting a compliance inspection at the premises of his Calvin and Family Security Services in Durban North.
“The court found that Mathibeli’s application lacked urgency and dismissed it with costs. Members of Operation Buyisa will proceed with the planned compliance inspection at Calvin and Family Security Services’ premises, as mandated by the Constitution and in terms of Section 109 of the Firearms Control Act, 60 of 2000,” says Mukhathi.
He says Mathibeli filed an urgent application after SAPS notified him on 11 March of the scheduled compliance inspection to take place today under the banner of Operation Buyisa. Last Tuesday, police also raided properties linked to the high-profile security company owner. Mathibeli has been prominently mentioned in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. His involvement centres on a high-profile legal and public conflict with Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner.
Mukhathi says a firearm compliance inspection at Mathibeli’s security company premises forms part of a nationwide drive. “Operation Buyisa is a nationwide SAPS initiative aimed at removing illegal firearms from circulation and preventing non-compliance by security companies and firearms dealers. As part of police priorities to curb the proliferation of firearms in the country, members continue to conduct operations across multiple provinces to track down and confiscate firearms from security companies operating outside the ambit of the law, including illegal firearms. This is to ensure that security companies, dealers, and individuals are keeping their firearms within the ambit of the law,” says Mukhathi.
