KRUGERSDORP – SAPS has confiscated 226 firearms from a registered private security company following a comprehensive investigation that revealed serious contraventions of the Firearms Control Act of 2000, police announced on Thursday.
The seizure, conducted by the National Tracking and Tracing Task Team under Operation Buyisa, represents one of the largest firearm confiscations from a single private security entity this year. The operation has also revealed that an additional 377 company-registered firearms remain unaccounted for, raising serious questions about the firm’s compliance with national firearms legislation.
The investigation, which spanned multiple provinces, uncovered violations across six different locations. The bulk of the seizures occurred at the company’s Krugersdorp business premises, where authorities confiscated 204 company-owned firearms along with two unlicensed weapons. One arrest has so far been made.
In Lephalale, Limpopo, investigators discovered one rifle in the possession of an unauthorised individual, while three firearms were found with another security company in Booysens, Gauteng. The operation extended to Makhado, Mpumalanga, where 11 firearms were seized for unlawful storage, including one weapon with ammunition and spent cartridges found abandoned in an open field.
Further seizures in Dirkiesdorp, Mpumalanga, resulted in the recovery of five firearms from security officials who had allegedly pointed and discharged weapons in public spaces. In Randburg, Gauteng, authorities recovered one firearm linked to a 2016 attempted murder case involving police officials.
The Firearms Control Act places strict obligations on licence holders to ensure safe storage, proper authorisation, and accountability for all weapons under their control. According to Section 120(1) of the Act, it is an offence to contravene any provision of the legislation, breach licence conditions, or disregard lawful notices issued under the Act.
Investigators have discovered that the company operated under multiple trading names and provided incorrect registered storage addresses, further complicating oversight efforts. Police are now investigating whether the firm was illegally renting its firearms to third parties, which would constitute a direct violation of the Firearms Control Act.
Several of the confiscated weapons have already been linked to serious crimes, including cash-in-transit robberies, attempted murder of police officials, and armed business robberies. All seized firearms will undergo forensic IBIS testing to trace any additional criminal connections.
A Section 106 notice has been issued compelling the company to present the 377 outstanding firearms that remain unaccounted for in their registry.
Operation Buyisa, launched in July 2025, represents a national intervention aimed at removing illegal firearms from circulation and ensuring strict compliance with South Africa’s firearms control legislation. The operation reflects growing concerns about the role of inadequately regulated private security companies in the country’s illegal firearms trade.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk confirmed the details of the operation.
