Inside the high-impact crackdown that hauled in automatic rifles, pistols and 1,577 rounds of ammo across the province
Gauteng SAPS have fired a major warning shot at the province’s criminal underworld. In just 35 days (24 May – 27 June 2025), officers recovered 141 unlicensed firearms, alongside 1 577 rounds of ammunition. Acting Provincial Commissioner Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo calls it “a decisive blow against armed crime”.
How the Gauteng SAPS Crackdown Unfolded
| Key Tactics | What They Involved | Result |
|---|---|---|
| High-visibility patrols & stop-and-searches | Daily roadblocks and foot patrols in hotspots | Dozens of weapons intercepted before use |
| Intelligence-led raids | Tip-offs mined from community apps & informants | Serial-number-filed firearms recovered from “stash houses” |
| Operation Shanela back-up | National high-density deployments are lending extra boots | +115 guns & 2,394 rounds seized nationwide in the same week |
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Armed Crime Taken Off the Streets
- Automatic rifles: AK-style and R5 variants
- Handguns: Semi-automatic pistols & snub-nosed revolvers
- Shotguns & hunting rifles: Often stolen and resold
- Ammunition: Mixed calibres, from 9 mm to 7.62 × 39 mm rounds
Several weapons had their serial numbers ground away, a tell-tale sign of organised trafficking rings.
Why It Matters
South Africa records over 30 gun-related murders a day, and Gauteng consistently ranks among the top provinces for armed robberies. Each unlicensed firearm seized is statistically linked to future violent crime, often murder, within three years of its first illegal use. (Source: Gun Free SA estimates & SAPS annual reports)
Community Call-to-Action
Police credit tip-offs via MySAPS and Crime Stop (📞 08600 10111) for many finds. Reporting is anonymous, and cash rewards are available for information leading to successful seizures.
This five-week blitz proves proactive policing, fuelled by solid intel and community trust, can pull lethal firepower out of circulation. With every confiscated weapon, Gauteng inches closer to streets where the loudest bangs come from car hooters, not gunshots.
Also read: Apply Now: SAPS Police Trainee Opportunities for 2025-2026
