A man (25) from Mpumalanga has been arrested in Ficksburg after police discovered two illegal firearms and ammunition in his possession during an early morning patrol operation.
According to the Office of the Free State Provincial Commissioner, the arrest took place at approximately 03:25 on Tuesday 19 May while police officers were conducting patrols in the Ficksburg business district, an area that has recently experienced several business robbery incidents.
Police reportedly noticed a Suzuki Dzire sedan parked in a dark and secluded area, which aroused suspicion. As officers approached the vehicle to investigate, one of the occupants fled the scene on foot into nearby bushes. The driver remained at the vehicle and was subsequently arrested.
During a search of the vehicle, police recovered two unlicensed firearms together with 33 rounds of ammunition. Preliminary investigations further revealed that one of the firearms had been reported stolen in Thornville, Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal, during October 2024.
The suspect has since been charged with possession of illegal firearms and ammunition and is expected to appear before the Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court today.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring commended the officers involved in the operation, describing the arrest and seizure as a significant step towards combating the circulation of illegal firearms within communities.
“The recovery of these firearms and ammunition plays an important role in reducing firearm-related crime and improving public safety,” Mophiring says.
Police investigations are continuing, including efforts to trace the suspect who fled the scene and to establish whether the recovered firearms may be linked to other criminal activities.
