The South African Police Service (SAPS) has revealed that 3,433 service firearms were lost or stolen between 2019 and 2024. This was disclosed by the police ministry in a written reply to a question from DA MP Ian Cameron.
A total of 3,213 SAPS firearms were stolen, while 220 were lost, mainly due to negligence. Only 559 have been recovered.
Cameron raised concern about the scale of criminal activity targeting the police. “Many of these guns are now being used to commit violent crimes, including robbery, assault and murder,” he said.
“This exposes a serious failure in SAPS’ management of firearms. The problem is not law-abiding citizens but mismanagement, corruption and the collapse of the Central Firearms Register.”
Cameron asked whether specific police stations, cluster divisions and ranks of officers had been identified as highly prone to firearm losses and thefts.
The police ministry responded that such details cannot be disclosed. It said revealing this information might expose specific vulnerabilities that could be exploited, thereby posing additional risks to the SAPS and its members.
South Africans deserve real solutions that tackle violent crime at its roots, not reckless laws that leave law-abiding citizens exposed. The DA will continue to fight for accountability, effective policing and stronger public safety
— Ian Cameron, DA MP
Cameron criticised this stance. “This lack of transparency blocks accountability and prevents meaningful action to stop firearms from falling into criminal hands,” he said.
“It is clear that systemic issues within SAPS are driving the violent crime crisis, yet the government continues to focus on disarming citizens instead of securing its own weapons. The message is simple: criminals should not be armed at the expense of ordinary citizens.”
Cameron also criticised the proposed Firearms Control Amendment Bill, which seeks to tighten the existing Firearms Control Act. He argued that instead of fixing the systemic issues of stolen and lost firearms, the bill plans to disarm responsible South Africans. “The bill gives the minister of police broad, unchecked powers over who may legally own a firearm, leaving ordinary citizens unable to defend themselves while criminals remain armed.”
The DA will oppose the bill in parliament and in court if necessary and will also hold a nationwide campaign to stop it, he said. “We will mobilise communities, raise public awareness and make it clear that law-abiding South Africans will not be punished for government failures.
”South Africans deserve real solutions that tackle violent crime at its roots, not reckless laws that leave law-abiding citizens exposed. The DA will continue to fight for accountability, effective policing and stronger public safety.”
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