The South African Police Service (SAPS) remains steadfast in its commitment to detecting and permanently removing illegal firearms and ammunition from circulation.
This week, a total of 16 049 firearms and firearm parts were destroyed in Vanderbijlpark during the SAPS’ second destruction process of the 2024/2025 financial year; 12 502 of those destroyed are handguns while 1 921 are rifles, 1 305 shotguns, and 47 combination firearms.
This brings the total number of firearms and firearm parts destroyed over the past six years to 279 594.
The Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili presiding over the official firearm destruction process.
The destroyed firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition were seized during policing operations such as OPERATION SHANELA and subsequently forfeited to the state. Among those destroyed are also firearms linked to finalised cases related to violence against women and children, cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies as well as voluntarily surrendered firearms, and those handed in during the Amnesty period.
Provincial breakdown of firearms destroyed this week:
▶️ Western Cape: 4 509
▶️ Gauteng: 4 159
▶️ KwaZulu-Natal: 3 241
▶️ Eastern Cape: 1 104
▶️ Free State: 1 046
▶️ Limpopo: 711
▶️ Mpumalanga: 461
▶️ North West: 459
▶️ Northern Cape: 359
Just last week, police seized 129 unlicensed firearms and 1 823 rounds of ammunition during nationwide SHANELA operations.
Lt Gen Mosikili reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to intensifying operations aimed at removing illegal firearms and ammunition from the streets.
All firearms with working mechanisms were subjected to IBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identification System) testing to determine if they had been used in the commission of other crimes, including those handed in during the Amnesty period.