Police confirm that SAPS lost firearms reached 3,422 between 2019 and 2024. Criminals stole 3,213 of them while 220 simply went missing. Robberies caused 1,824 losses thefts triggered 1,397 and negligence led to 212. High-calibre R5 rifles feature among the missing weapons.
Armoury’s Alarming Losses
From SAPS armouries alone criminals took 170 firearms over five years. Police recovered just 16 which shows a serious gap in security measures. Overall officers managed to retrieve only 559 of the 3,422 firearms – a recovery rate of just over 16%. This low rate worries experts because unrecovered guns likely end up arming gangs and increasing street violence.
Acting Minister Responds
Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia firmly rejects claims that 7,500 SAPS lost firearms now arm criminals. “There is no record of these 7,500 firearms” he stated.
Instead official records show 4,124 firearms lost or stolen since the 2019/20 financial year. Moreover no serving officers currently face corruption charges for supplying guns to syndicates since 2020.
Cachalia emphasises strong controls. SAPS follows national instructions on armoury security conducts regular inspections performs bi-annual stock takes and carries out surprise audits through internal units and the Auditor-General. Every firearm carries unique SAPS markings and appears on the ballistic database. However he refuses to name high-risk stations to protect officers.
Investigation Under Way
National Commissioner Fannie Masemola quickly appointed a task team to tackle the issue head-on. This team now re-examines every case of SAPS lost firearms since 2019/20 establishes liability and will deliver a full report by 15 January 2025. Their work could uncover patterns in how guns go missing and recommend real changes.
Opposition Criticism
DA MP Ian Cameron who chairs the Portfolio Committee on Police insists SAPS lost firearms fuel violent crime. He stresses that criminals steal most weapons through robberies and thefts directly from police premises.
Cameron also attacks the Firearms Control Amendment Bill. He argues it will disarm law-abiding citizens while criminals keep stolen police guns. Consequently the DA vows to fight the bill with public campaigns and potential court action.
