Two more guns recovered by Port Elizabeth police

Seven illegal firearms have been recovered in Port Elizabeth since Saturday.

The latest recoveries were on Sunday evening and Monday morning.

On Saturday, police recovered five guns, two of which were fired at the funerals of Siyabonga Ngcolombe and Mkhuseli “Khusta” Yani, 40, in Motherwell.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said one firearm was found in a washing machine in Echola Street – one street away from where Yani’s funeral took place.  

Yani was gunned down in a tavern in Chalumna Street, Motherwell, last Saturday.

“Police received a call about a firearm found inside a plastic packet. it was found inside a washing machine in the yard of a house,” Beetge said.

“It is suspected that it was stashed there.”

At Yani’s memorial on Saturday, police chased and arrested a 22-year-old gunman, who allegedly fired several shots in the street during the wake for the deceased.

More than 40 spent cartridges were found in the road.

Beetge said several suspects vanished into crowds attending the memorial service as police pursued the gunmen.

Suspects arrested

Police had managed to arrest one suspect hiding in a nearby yard.

“It is possible that it [gun] was placed there [in washing machine] by the gangsters who fled on foot while being chased by police,” Beetge said.

“The firearm has been confiscated and sent for forensic analysis and testing. We are hoping to be able to link the gun to the man who hid it there.”

By 3am on Monday, a 39-year-old woman was arrested at a house in Tsotsobe Street, New Brighton, after police found a revolver hidden in a  backyard shack.

“A tip-off was received and a search warrant obtained. The house was raided and inside a locked shed behind the house, a firearm was found," Beetge said. 

In addition, several different calibre of ammunition was also confiscated.

Both confiscated firearms had their serial numbers removed, making it difficult to track the origins of the weapons.

Over the weekend, police pulled over a Mazda 323 in Vinqi Street, Zwide, and recovered two stolen guns.

All four occupants of the car were arrested.

On Saturday, police recovered a firearm stolen from Gidana Arms in Bank Street, Port Alfred, when they raided Lolly’s Shop in Shilowa Street,  Soweto-on-Sea.

Fifty guns were stolen from Gidana Arms in October 2018 during an armed robbery at the dealership.

The owner of the shop pulled a firearm on police but later surrendered.