A total of 1,465 guns and 14,861 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered to the South African police since the amnesty programme to surrender illegal and unwanted firearms was announced on December 1, said the police on Tuesday.

The police gave amnesty from prosecution to all those who surrender the illegal and unwanted firearms.

The amnesty, which started on December 1, 2019 will end on May 31, 2020.

Police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said, “As firearms are the instruments commonly used in the commission of crime, especially violent crimes, it is very encouraging that people have taken advantage of this amnesty period and handed in 1,465 guns and 14 861 rounds of ammunition.

“The firearms that have been handed in included 1,248 handguns, 75 shotguns and 142 rifles.

“All firearms that have been or are being handed in will undergo ballistic testing to ensure that such firearms have not been used in the commission of a crime before it can be considered for destruction,” he said.

Naiddo said they were investigating all firearms which are handed over.

The police are confident that more people will surrender firearms.

In November 2019, the police destroyed more than 20,000 firearms which had been used to commit crimes or surrendered by their owners.