A 55-year-old gun dealer has been arrested for the alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
The National Tracking and Tracing Task Team arrested the suspect found with 537 unlicensed firearms during the police’s Operation Buyisa.
Police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk says the team received information about a security company operating without valid firearm licences in Middelburg.
She says the team’s investigation led them to the premises of a security company on the outskirts of eMalahleni.
#sapsHQ In an effort to remove illegal firearms from circulation, the South African Police Service (SAPS) destroyed a total of 13 859 firearms during its second firearm destruction process for the 2025/26 financial year.
This brings the total number of firearms destroyed over… pic.twitter.com/CGxpnhtiFH
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) February 19, 2026
