PRETORIA – Intensive and extensive investigations following alleged wheeling and dealing at parts of the Central Firearm Registry (CFR) has led to the involvement of at least 21 people and the arrest, at this stage, of at least sixteen people on multiple criminal cases.
The National Anti-Gang Unit in the Western Cape under the leadership of Major General Andre Lincoln has been investigating amongst others, charges relating to Fraud, Defeating the Administration of Justice and Contravention of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60/2000) on multiple case dockets in Edenvale, Kempton Park and Norwood in the province of Gauteng.
During November 2017, police received information on alleged fraud and corruption relating to firearm licence applications taking place between Cape Town and Gauteng.
In January 2018, it was found that several people including Cape Town underworld figures and their family & friends allegedly obtained their competency certificate/s and firearm licence/s to possess a firearm as well as temporary authorization to possess a firearm/s in an allegedly wrongful manner.
Investigations revealed that applicants made these applications in the Gauteng province, more so in the SAPS Edenvale, Norwood and Kempton Park area. The investigations were centred on the above-mentioned police stations even though the possibility of other stations being involved cannot be ruled out.
These investigations initially began when a few persons of interest appeared to possess firearms “legally”. The investigations started to reveal, among others that residential addresses were falsified and/or misrepresented on the applications, information regarding the status of applicants were not revealed and mandatory checks by police Designated Firearm Officers (DFO’s) were not conducted.
The application forms were also found not to be signed by the applicants but the motivations supplied by the applicants as well as the testimonials given by character witnesses were also not signed.
The same applications were then recommended by the DFOs and were forwarded to members of the Provincial FLASH and eventually Central Firearm Registry where they would be approved.
Following the almost three-year-long investigation J50 Warrants for the arrest were issued for at least 21 suspects. Since earlier this month, General Lincoln’s team together with the Gauteng Provincial Investigation Unit (PIU) embarked on an operation and began arresting the persons of interest.
The following arrests have now been effected in this investigation:
1. Brigadier Hlamalane Lettie Matshene Pretoria (arrested 10/06/2020)
2. Lieutenant Colonel Moshato Alfred Moloto, Pretoria (arrested 10/06/2020)
3. Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Sehati Semono, Pretoria (arrested 10/06/2020)
4. Lieutenant Colonel Nonhlanhla Gladys Skosana, Kempton Park (arrested 10/06/2020)
5. Captain Khulekani Samuel Mncube , Pretoria (arrested 10/06/2020)
6. Sergeant Koena Welheminah Nkoana, Norwood (arrested 10/06/2020)
7. Sergeant Lesiba Rodney Masoga, Norwood (arrested 16/06/2020)
8. Sergeant Matseleng Emily Mokwena, Edenvale (arrested 11/06/2020)
9. Ex-Colonel Selo Solomon Motau, Formerly from Pretoria (arrested 10/06/2020)
10. Ex-Constable MB Chokoe, Kempton Park (arrested 10/06/2020)
11. Abdullah Mehtar (Acapulco Sports and Guns Owner) (arrested 14/06/2020)
12. Mahomed Riaz Moosa (Acapulco Sports and Guns Owner) (arrested 14/06/2020)
13. Yaaseen Modack (applicant) (arrested 05/06/2020)
14. Nafiz Modack (applicant) (arrested 16/06/2020)
15. Abdulaliem Ismail (applicant) (arrested 05/06/2020)
16. Anwa Gallie (applicant) (arrested 16/06/2020.
At least five other suspects, including a senior officer of the South African Police Service are yet to be arrested.
These accused, together with the five outstanding suspects – if arrested, will be appearing again in the South Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) on 10 July 2020.
The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has applauded the perseverance of the team in this investigation.
“We are systematically identifying and routing out corruption and corrupt members from the SAPS”, said General Sitole.
It may be the hope and desire of many that criminality within the SAPS should be more speedily eradicated. These investigation processes, in order for them to be executed effectively, takes time.
“The most effective way of dealing with corruption is to prevent it and in order to do this, I am urging both members of the SAPS as well as the community at large to refrain from engaging in such activities – because you WILL be caught”, added General Sitole.
We appeal to anyone who may have any information on crime to contact the SAPS on the Crime Stop number 086 00 10111. Information can also be communicated via the MySAPSApp, an App that can be easily downloaded via Play Store on any iPhone or Android handset.
All information will be treated with strictest confidence and informers may remain anonymous.

Source: South African Police Service