KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of illegal firearm seizures in South Africa during the festive season, a factor that National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola believes contributes to the province’s high crime rate.
Masemola addressed the media on Sunday regarding the police operations conducted over the festive season. Between October and mid-January, a total of 2,198 illegal and unlicensed firearms were seized across the country. KwaZulu-Natal topped the list, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
The confiscated firearms include 1,731 handguns, 154 homemade guns, 211 rifles, and 102 shotguns. Masemola emphasized that firearms continue to be a major issue in South Africa, noting that most serious and violent crimes, including murders, are committed with firearms.