Police in Gauteng arrest over 90 suspects for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition in the past two weeks across the province

In a concerted effort to address serious and violent crime, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng continues to recover unlicensed firearms and ammunition in circulation.

Over the past two weeks (27 September to 10 October) police in partnership with other law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders arrested over 90 suspects and recovered over 230 unlicensed firearms and 3600 rounds of ammunition during operations, routine crime prevention patrols, stop-and-searches as well as through community tip-offs across the province.

Members of Crime Intelligence and Benoni Flying Squad operationalised information and arrested seven suspects in Cloverdene on Saturday, 08 October 2022. The team also recovered explosives, an unlicensed firearm, and ammunition.

In addition, members of SAPS Temba followed up on information that led them to recover an abandoned AK47 assault rifle and ammunition in the bushes of Stinkwater, north of Tshwane District on the same day.

On Friday, 07 October 2022 the Booysens Magistrates’ court sentenced Mduduzi Shabalala, aged 44, to 25 years imprisonment for house robbery, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Shabalala and two accomplices had robbed an 80-year-old victim in his house in Ridgeway just over two years ago. The trio fled the scene, but police swiftly responded to the house robbery complaint and apprehended Shabalala who was armed with an unlicensed firearm and ammunition at the time of his arrest.

All the recovered firearms will be subjected to ballistic tests to determine whether they can be linked to other serious crimes committed.

Community members are urged to report the crime to their nearest police station, SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or leave an anonymous tip-off on the MySAPS App.