In a recent operation, the South African Police Service (SAPS) conducted 3,728 compliance inspections at business premises, including gun dealers and security companies, under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000. This Act requires licence holders to ensure safe storage, proper authorisation, and full accountability for all licensed firearms and ammunition. All firearm owners must hold a valid competency certificate along with a valid licence or permit.
The National Tracking and Tracing Task Team, as part of Operation Buyisa, arrested a 55-year-old gun dealer in Middelburg for non-compliance with the Act. During the operation, 537 licensed firearms and ammunition were seized. These firearms were stored at an unlicensed facility on a plot outside eMalahleni. A related security company was found operating with expired firearm licences. The dealer had reportedly exceeded storage capacity at the registered premises.
Under Section 120(1) of the Act, offences include contravening provisions of the Act, breaching licence conditions, and disregarding lawful notices or requirements. Such inspections enforce accountability and accurate record-keeping for licensed firearms and ammunition.
Mpumalanga, where Middelburg is located, recorded 332 murders between April and June 2024, averaging three per day. Firearms and knives were the primary weapons used in these incidents. In the 2023/24 period, Mpumalanga accounted for 532 firearm-related murders, representing 4.5% of the national total. Five provinces, including Mpumalanga, accounted for 93.5% of all firearm murders in South Africa during that time. Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition increased by 29.6% in Mpumalanga in a recent reporting period. In the fourth quarter of 2022/23, Mpumalanga saw multiple-victim murders and incidents linked to domestic violence.
Nationally, South Africa recorded over 26,000 homicides in 2024, averaging more than 70 per day. Firearms accounted for a large share of these deaths. Between 2019 and 2024, more than 3,400 SAPS firearms were lost or stolen, with only a fraction recovered. In the October to December 2024 period, firearms were used in 2,886 murders. During the same quarter, 1,952 suspects were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, and 1,380 for illegal possession of ammunition. Firearms were involved in 42% of murders and 58% of attempted murders in that period. In the fourth quarter of 2024/25, 4,023 cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition were registered, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year. Guns were used in 71.1% of home robberies in 2024/25. In assaults during the same year, guns were involved in 18.4% of cases. Between January and March 2025, 5,727 murders occurred nationally, averaging 62 per day, alongside 6,985 attempted murders, averaging 75 per day.
Five Suspects Apprehended and Stolen Trailers Recovered After Robbery at Naboomspruit Truck Stop
NABOOMSPRUIT – Authorities recovered two stolen trailers and arrested five suspects in connection with an armed robbery at a truck stop on the R101 road. The incident took place in the early hours of February 16, 2026, when over 20 armed individuals entered the premises, subdued security personnel, and detained employees and drivers.
The robbers took two trailers containing copper cargo estimated at R4 million in value, along with R22,000 in cash. The combined worth of the stolen items, including the trailers, surpassed R4.7 million.
Law enforcement located the trailers in Hammanskraal, recovering part of the copper load. Investigations continue to find the remaining cargo.
One suspect was detained near Musina after officers stopped a white Nissan NP200 linked to the crime. Four more were captured in Makhado following the discovery of a Hyundai Stario minibus at a fuel station, where the occupants attempted to escape but were pursued using drones and intelligence operations. The truck used to haul the trailers was spotted near Soshanguve and later found near Muldersdrift on the N14, leading to the arrest of its driver.
The operation involved multiple agencies, including the South African Police Service Flying Squad, local police units, Community Policing Forum volunteers from Makhado, Tracker Connect, Gauteng Tactical Response Team, Gauteng Traffic Police Airwing, CAP Specialised Operations, and K9 units from West Rand. Drones and helicopters supported the effort across provinces.
School Bus Accident in North West Province Injures 37 Learners
Tswaing Municipality, North West Province – A school bus carrying 71 learners from Gamaloka Village overturned on a gravel road between Sleepsteen and Gerdau Farms on the morning of February 17, 2026.
The incident occurred when the bus struck a hump, causing the steering wheel to disengage. The vehicle then veered off the road and flipped over.
Thirty-seven learners sustained injuries, with one in a condition of serious concern. These individuals received treatment at General De La Rey Hospital in Lichtenburg. The remaining 34 learners underwent medical assessments and observation at Coligny Clinic.
The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management launched a full investigation into the accident. Alternative transportation for the learners was arranged through an operator under a service level agreement, with additional operators available if required.
MEC Wessels Morweng of the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management expressed wishes for a speedy recovery to the affected learners.
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- Cash-in-Transit Robbery Reported on Khoza Street in Atteridgeville
- Tragic Two-Vehicle Collision Shuts Down N1 at Capricorn Toll Plaza in Limpopo
- Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle at Tzaneen Police Station
Cash-in-Transit Robbery Unfolds in Rustenburg Amid Reports of Gunfire
Rustenburg, North West – February 16, 2026 – A cash-in-transit (CIT) vehicle was targeted in a robbery on Kremetart Avenue near the cemetery in Rustenburg on Monday afternoon. Video footage circulating on social media shows armed suspects engaging in a shootout, with gunfire audible in the clip.
South African Police Service (SAPS) members arrived at the scene shortly after the incident was reported, where they secured the area and initiated investigations. No immediate details on casualties, the amount of cash involved, or arrests have been released by authorities. Motorists and local residents have been advised to steer clear of the vicinity and to report any suspicious activity to the police.
This event marks another in a series of CIT attacks that have plagued the North West province, a region that has recorded multiple such incidents in recent years. In November 2025, for instance, a failed heist in the Rustenburg central business district on Fatima Bhayat Street ended with one suspect fatally shooting himself after being wounded in the leg during a confrontation with security officers from a Fidelity cash van. Police launched a manhunt for accomplices following that attack.
Earlier, in July 2025, a CIT robbery in Waterfall East, Rustenburg, saw suspects flee the scene after targeting a vehicle, prompting public reports of looting at the crime site as bystanders tampered with the area. Law enforcement urged the community to avoid interfering to allow for proper investigations.
Nationwide, CIT robberies have shown a measurable decline in 2025, according to data from the Cash-in-Transit Association of South Africa (Citasa). A total of 180 incidents were documented from January to December 21, 2025, representing a 13% drop compared to the same period in 2024. Despite this reduction, the tactics employed by criminals have grown more violent, with increased use of explosives to breach armoured vehicles, vehicle ramming to force confrontations, and sustained gunfire that endangers not only security crews but also nearby civilians.
Provincial breakdowns highlight shifting hotspots. In 2025, Gauteng led with the highest number of CIT attacks, followed by KwaZulu-Natal, which accounted for a significant share—up to 34% in early-year figures. The Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and North West have also featured prominently, with North West seeing consistent activity amid broader efforts to combat aggravated robberies.
South African Police Service crime statistics for the first half of 2025 (April to September) further reflect progress in some categories, recording 24 CIT heists compared to 40 in the same period of 2024—a 40% decrease. This aligns with intensified operations like Project Shanela, which have involved multidisciplinary teams, including flying squads and provincial task forces, to disrupt organised crime networks behind these heists.
Industry experts note that while the overall frequency has dipped—attributed to better intelligence sharing between private security firms and SAPS—the financial toll remains substantial, with millions of rands lost annually and a push toward cashless systems accelerating in response. In the North West, collaborative arrests have followed several incidents, such as a November 2024 heist on the R104 road near Kroondal, where a suspect was detained in Tlhabane for possession of hijacked vehicles linked to the crime.
As investigations into Monday’s Rustenburg robbery continue, SAPS has reiterated calls for public vigilance. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in securing cash movements across South Africa’s roads, even as law enforcement reports gains in stemming the tide of these high-risk crimes.
