In an effort to remove illegal firearms from circulation, the South African Police Service (SAPS) destroyed a total of 13 859 firearms during its second firearm destruction process for the 2025/26 financial year, bringing the total number of firearms destroyed over the past seven years to 305 934.
The District Commissioner of Sedibeng in Gauteng, Major General Adelaide Mukhwevho, presided over the official firearm destruction process that took place in Vanderbijlpark last week.
The majority of the destroyed firearms were confiscated during various policing operations, including Operation Shanela, and were forfeited to the State.
“Some of the firearms are linked to finalised criminal cases such as farm attacks, cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies, and crimes against women and children. Others were voluntarily surrendered or handed in during firearm amnesty periods,” the police said in a statement.
The provincial breakdown of firearms destroyed is as follows:
Gauteng: 5 193
KwaZulu-Natal: 2 752
Western Cape: 2 155
Eastern Cape: 1 300
Mpumalanga: 605
Limpopo: 535
Free State: 499
Northern Cape: 411
North West: 354
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation: 55
Type of firearms destroyed:
Handguns: 11 183
Rifles: 1302
Shotguns: 1004
Combination: 34
Firearm parts: 336
“Also amongst the destroyed firearms is a total of 7 708 blank guns, airguns and homemade firearms, which were also destroyed during the destruction process.
“Although these weapons are often perceived as less lethal than conventional firearms, they are often used in the commission of crimes,” the police said.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said, “As we all know firearms remain a challenge in our communities as most violent crime including murders and robberies are used with the commission of firearms.”
Masemola said on a weekly basis, the SAPS seizes no less than 100 illegal firearms during tracing operations, stop-and-searches and other targeted crime combating activities.
“Just last week, nationwide operations led to the recovery of 147 illegal firearms. The previous week was 142 illegal firearms and the week before that was another 119 illegal firearms,” he said.
Masemola pointed out that in an effort to ensure compliance of the Firearms Controls Act, the men and women in blue conducted compliance inspections at more than 3 700 licensed firearm dealers and private security company premises across the country.
“In one operation in Middleburg in the province of Mpumalanga, police seized 537 licensed firearms after the owner failed to comply accordingly.
“Legal firearm owners are reminded to urgently comply with the Firearms Control Act and ensure safe storage, authorisation and to account for each and every firearms that they own,” he said.
Masemola was speaking at the release of the 3rd Quarterly Crime Statistics in Pretoria last week.
He said the management of the South African Police Service remains steadfast in their commitment to stabilising and reducing serious and violent crime across the country. “While numbers remain high, it is quite encouraging that we are noting a reduction in the number of murders, rape and sexual offences reported,” Masemola said.
Over the past two years, the numbers of murders for the quarter three period (1 October to 31 December) have dropped by 17.6% or 1 359 fewer murders. He said 1 906 suspects were arrested for murder; 1 725 suspects for attempted murder and 2 382 suspects for rape.
“This is indeed a clear demonstration that we are turning the tide, intentionally and aggressively by heightening police visibility and successfully implementing solution driven crime combatting strategies, with a view of ultimately dismantling organised crime syndicates,” he said.
Masemola said through targeted intelligence driven operations, they have also noted the 14 percent reduction in trio crimes which is carjacking, house and business robberies.
“While we are not out of the woods yet, these small victories and wins must serve as motivation to intensify our fight against crime,” he said.
Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia, speaking at the third quarter crime statistics release on Friday, said firearms remain the single largest weapon driving murder, robbery and organised crime in the country.
Cachalia said they would be taking additional measures to address the scourge with a focus on removing illegal firearms and preventing legal firearms from falling into the wrong hands.
“After more than a decade of annual increases, murder, our most accurate crime statistic started decreasing on the first quarter of 2023-24,” Cachalia said.
He said the trend has continued throughout this year with this quarter showing a 8.7% decrease, or 602 fewer lives lost.
“This means that over the past two years, the numbers of murders for the quarter three period (1 October to 31 December) had dropped by 17.6% or 1 359 fewer murders,” Cachalia said.
The Minister said total contact crime made up of all categories of violent crime started to decrease in the 3rd quarter of 2024-25.
“During this quarter, total violent crime decreased again by 6.7% or 12 682 fewer cases reported to the SAPS when compared to the same quarter last year. Over the past two years, total violent crime for this quarter is down by 8.3% or 15 763 fewer cases. This trend may well be attributable to enhanced policing operations.
“The crime situation also varies substantially across the country. Remember that these are statistical patterns. This does not necessarily translate into a felt sense of security by individuals, families and communities,” the Minister said.
While the country has seen double digit reductions in murder in five provinces, namely KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and the North West, much smaller decreases were recorded in the Western and Eastern Cape, with slight increases recorded in Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
“And out of the 30 highest murder precincts, decreases were recorded in only 15 of them. The killings relating to gang violence in the Eastern and Western Cape in particular, remain worrisomely high,” he said.
During this quarter, total violent crime decreased again by 6.7% or 12 682 fewer cases reported to the SAPS when compared to the same quarter last year.
Over the past two years, total violent crime for this quarter is down by 8.3% or 15 763 fewer cases.
