The South African Police Service (SAPS) has seized 226 firearms from a private security company after uncovering widespread violations of the Firearms Control Act. The raid forms part of Operation Buyisa, a new national intervention aimed at removing illegal firearms from circulation and tightening accountability among licensed holders.

The National Tracking and Tracing Task Team conducted searches in Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, where it found weapons stored unlawfully, handled by unauthorised individuals, and in some cases linked to violent crimes. In Krugersdorp alone, 204 company-owned weapons were confiscated, while other seizures included weapons connected to attempted murder cases and cash-in-transit robberies.

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SAPS said 377 firearms registered under the same company remain unaccounted for. A Section 106 notice has been issued compelling the firm to account for the missing weapons. Investigators are also probing whether the company was renting out its firearms, a direct contravention of the Act.

The findings expose serious lapses in weapons management within the private security sector. The company’s registered storage addresses were incorrect, and several firearms were recovered in public spaces, including one discovered in an open field with ammunition and spent cartridges.

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SAPS leadership has previously voiced concern about the risks posed by poorly regulated firearms in private hands, and this latest seizure could reignite debate over whether security companies should continue to hold such large arsenals. Critics have long argued that weapons diverted from the industry fuel violent crime, while the sector maintains that armed response units remain essential in a country battling high crime rates.

All confiscated weapons will undergo forensic testing to establish links to other crimes. Criminal charges against those responsible are expected to follow.

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