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.
This brings 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.
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.
By destroying forfeited firearms, the SAPS prevents them from re-entering circulation.
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. – SAnews.gov.za
