Toy gun conversions are no longer a fringe concern in Cape Town. Metro Police say criminals modify imitation firearms to fire live rounds, turning “toys” into weapons. As a result, residents, learners and officers face a sharper risk during everyday encounters.
What police found in Macassar
On Monday, 3 November, Neighbourhood Safety officers rushed to a Macassar school after reports that a learner carried what looked like a toy gun. Working with SAPS, officers recovered an imitation firearm and 30 live rounds. They arrested a 17-year-old for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. Then a follow-up took them to her boyfriend’s home, where they found another imitation firearm with one live round. The suspects are 16 and 17. Consequently, the Macassar arrests show how quickly these toy gun conversions can spill into school spaces.
‘Criminal amateurs’ and serious harm
Metro Police spokesperson Ruth Solomons says criminals — often “criminal amateurs” — modify fake guns to discharge live ammunition, and the crude conversions “could result in serious injury.” Moreover, blank-firing or replica models, which are easier to obtain than licensed firearms, can be altered to chamber live rounds. In short, toy gun conversions turn a plastic-looking prop into a weapon that can kill.
What residents should do now
Authorities urge the public to treat any imitation firearm as real and to report it immediately. Parents and schools should brief learners about the danger of bringing replicas to class. Additionally, shop owners and community patrols should alert police if they see suspicious sales or carry of look-alike weapons. Cape Town officers have seized numerous imitation firearms in recent operations, which underscores the scale of these toy gun conversions as a threat. Therefore, residents should assume toy gun conversions carry the same consequences as illegal firearms — and call it in before someone gets hurt.
The bottom line
Cape Town cannot ignore toy gun conversions. With teens caught up in the trend and criminals pushing crude fixes, swift reporting and zero tolerance will save lives.
