The Western Cape government will procure two mobile radar scanners to detect illegal firearms and contraband entering the province.
Premier Alan Winde made the announcement while speaking about crime and cross-border gun smuggling during his State of the Province Address on Wednesday.
“There’s a report that tells you how the guns come from Namibia down the N7, and that’s what fuels the gang warfares that kill our children,” Winde said.
He announced: “So this province is going to be procuring two radar scanners.
“These are going to be mobile scanners that can be placed anywhere in the province.”
Winde said trucks will drive through the scanners, which can detect hidden weapons and false compartments.
“These scanners, the trucks will drive through, and that radar scanner will be able to pick up if there are arms buried underneath the truck somewhere, if there are false compartments,” he said.
“Think of child trafficking, think of moving of illicit traded products … that is what these scanners are going to uncover.”
The N7 route has long been flagged by law enforcement as a trafficking corridor for firearms, drugs and other contraband entering SA from neighbouring countries.
Winde said the scanners would strengthen the province’s crime-fighting capability, although border control remains a national government responsibility.
“This is going to help with our crime-fighting capability,” he said.
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