Hawks quiet on Prinsloo guns is still the headline. The unit has not said how many of the more than 2 000 firearms stolen by former SAPS colonel Christiaan Prinsloo are back in state custody. Officials note the case sits before the courts, yet they offer no totals or timelines. Communities want clarity because every missing gun still poses a risk.
What past audits linked to crime
A police audit tied the stolen stock to 1 066 murders, 1 403 attempted murders and hundreds of other violent crimes between 2010 and 2016. Prinsloo admitted he sold confiscated and decommissioned firearms that should have stayed off the street. Those findings explain why the recovery effort matters. They are another reason why the Hawks remain quiet regarding the Prinsloo guns, which can fuel gang violence for years.
Why transparency matters now
Each verified recovery lowers the chance of another shooting from a diverted state gun. But without updates, trust erodes. Families who lost loved ones want proof of progress. Residents in high-risk areas want to know how many weapons remain in circulation. Clear numbers, regular briefings, and a plan to trace the last guns would rebuild confidence, despite the silence about the Prinsloo guns from the Hawks.
Fix the system that failed
The state must lock down armoury access, enforce chain-of-custody, and audit evidence rooms often. It should expand ballistics tracing, strengthen record-keeping and fast-track destruction of surplus firearms. These steps close the loopholes that let guns leak out in the first place. Such measures are crucial even though the Hawks are quiet on the status of Prinsloo’s guns, as they also support investigators who still track the missing stock.
The bottom line
Until the unit publishes recovery totals and shows measurable progress, Hawks quiet on Prinsloo guns will keep frustrating victims and communities. South Africans deserve timely updates, firm action and safer streets. Regular reporting on the search, plus visible seizures, will show the state has learned from the Prinsloo scandal.
