Arms dug up in backyard

SPRINGS: LIFE-THREATENING CACHE INCLUDES 36 MORTARS, ILLEGAL FIREARM, AMMUNITION

- Hein Kaiser

Neighbours shell-shocked 'collector' takes memorabilia interest that far.

A substantial and potentially life-threatening arms cache was discovered buried at a suburban home in Springs, Ekurhuleni, yesterday. There were enough explosives buried in the house's backyard to destroy several residential blocks and potentially kill or maim many people.

The SA Police Service (Saps) bomb disposal unit spent a large portion of the day combing the home's yard for unexploded ordnance, after arresting the property owner, a 61-year-old man who purportedly served in pre-1994 administration law enforcement.

A total of 36 60mm mortar shells, as well as several rounds of ammunition, R5 assault rifle magazines and an illegal firearm were found by investigators, as well as an old South African flag, old police and military uniforms. The uniforms included 36 pairs of military issue camouflage pants and other unlicensed and allegedly stolen military property.

The discovery of the mortar shells was made by a casual worker on the property, said Springs Saps spokesperson Themba Tshabalala. According to initial reports, the property owner allegedly first told the worker "not to dig at a certain spot in the garden, because he buried some explosives there" a few days before.