The South African Police Service (SAPS) does not track the makes of firearms used in crimes, a parliamentary reply has confirmed, raising concerns about crime intelligence and firearm control.
In response to written questions from RISE Mzansi MP Makashule Gana, the Minister of Police said that the Enhanced Firearms Register System (EFRS) only records firearms by type, such as handgun, shotgun, or rifle, but not by make or model, such as AK-47 or Type 56, Norinco or Kalashnikov.
AK-47s and Illegal Firearms
The lack of detailed firearm data comes despite growing reports of AK style rifles being used in violent crimes, including cash-in-transit heists, political killings, and mass shootings. AK style automatic rifles are classified as prohibited weapons under the Firearms Control Act, making civilian ownership illegal. Only accredited collectors, museums, and film industry suppliers may obtain special licences, subject to strict conditions such as rendering the weapon incapable of firing live rounds.
RISE Mzansi argues that the inability to monitor specific weapon types undermines efforts to analyse crime trends and disrupt criminal networks. Gana said: “These guns should not be on the streets… We cannot build a safe, prosperous, equal and united South Africa for as long as criminals and other actors are in possession of dangerous weapons”.
Illegal Stockpile and Police Losses
It is estimated that South Africa has around two million illegal firearms in circulation. Concerns have been raised not only about criminal access to weapons but also about SAPS’s handling of its own stock. Between October 2023 and March 2024, police reported the loss or theft of 371 firearms and more than 29,000 rounds of ammunition.
There have also been documented cases of officers implicated in reselling confiscated firearms, some of which were later linked to gang violence and murders.
Steps Taken and Proposed
According to the Minister, SAPS has taken measures to tighten firearm control, including halting manual permit authorisations at border posts, expanding intelligence-led operations such as Operation Shanela, and increasing compliance inspections. Confiscated weapons are sent for ballistic analysis before being destroyed.
RISE Mzansi has called for expanded firearm amnesties, anonymous tip-off reward systems, harsher penalties for illegal possession, and stronger accountability for negligent loss of police-issued weapons. The party plans to raise the issue with the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Police.
