Key Takeaways
- Most of South Africa’s illicit firearms are smuggled in from neighboring countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho.
- The increase in illicit firearms is driven by high demand from criminal groups, weak regulatory frameworks, and corruption.
- The South African Police Service (SAPS) has reported that 4,124 of its own firearms have been lost or stolen since 2020.
- Despite the challenges, SAPS has confiscated 21,700 illegal firearms over the past five years, with the majority coming from the Western Cape.
- The Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng are hotspots for the trade and use of illegal weapons, with gang-infested areas such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town being a major concern.
Introduction to the Issue of Illicit Firearms
The issue of illicit firearms in South Africa is a pressing concern, with the country’s Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, revealing that most of the country’s illicit firearms are smuggled in from neighboring countries. This was disclosed in response to a written question from MK Party Member of Parliament Crossby Shongwe. According to Cachalia, the increase in illicit firearms entering the country is primarily caused by diversion from legal markets, through theft, fraud, straw purchases, cross-border trafficking, and illicit manufacturing. These factors are driven by underlying issues such as high demand from criminal groups, weak regulatory frameworks, and corruption.
The Source of Illicit Firearms
Cachalia noted that firearms are mainly smuggled from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho, with criminal syndicates exploiting porous borders and informal crossings. The concealment methods used include bulk carriers, land, air, and sea routes, with corruption within law enforcement agencies, including the SAPS, leading to the non-detection of concealed firearms. These weapons are then smuggled inland to commit violent crimes and facilitate crimes such as illegal mining, armed robberies, murders, kidnapping, vehicle robberies, cash-in-transit heists, and other gang-related activities.
Police Negligence and Firearms Loss
However, the finger can also be pointed at the police for negligence when handling their firearms, something Cachalia did not highlight. In November, the acting minister informed an MP that 4,124 SAPS-owned firearms had been reported as lost or stolen since 2020. This is a significant concern, as it suggests that the police may be contributing to the problem of illicit firearms. However, after 2020, no active SAPS members have been linked to participating in the supply of SAPS-owned firearms to organized criminal networks. Cachalia said the SA Police has committed to compiling a full report by 31 December 2025, for submission by 15 January 2026, on the issue.
The Scale of the Problem
The scale of the problem is significant, with research revealing that 18,000 firearms were lost between 2003 and 2013. Similarly, City Press reported that between 2005 and 2017, 26,025 firearms issued to police officers had been lost or stolen. However, according to researcher Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, the overall figure for firearms the government has lost or had stolen is significantly higher, as only the police report their firearms losses to the Central Firearms Registry.
Success in Cracking Down on Illicit Firearms
Despite the increasing number of illicit firearms entering the country, SAPS is having some success in cracking down on the issue. According to Cachalia, police have confiscated 21,700 illegal firearms over the past five years. The most significant portion of these illegal firearms was confiscated in the Western Cape, totaling 6,267 for the period. Seven hundred and forty-one of these weapons were reported to have been used in murders. The Western Cape was followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, with 4,297 and 4,248 confiscated in each province, respectively.
Regional Variations in Illicit Firearms
The confiscation of illicit firearms varies significantly by region, with the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng being hotspots for the trade and use of illegal weapons. Gang-infested areas such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town are a major concern, with provincial police reportedly seizing 346 illegal firearms and 3,192 rounds of ammunition in January this year. Other provinces saw significantly fewer firearms confiscated, with 2,606 weapons seized in the Eastern Cape, 1,243 in Mpumalanga, 1,070 in Limpopo, 949 in North West, 873 in the Free State, and 149 in the Northern Cape. However, this does not necessarily indicate that there is less illegal firearm-related crime in these regions, as the rate of firearms used in murder cases varies significantly by province, with Mpumalanga having the highest rate at 53%, followed by KZN and the Northern Cape.