South African police minister denies 7,500 firearms lost to criminals
South Africa’s acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has rejected claims that 7,500 state-issued firearms from the South African Police Service (SAPS) have been lost to criminal syndicates, following a parliamentary question from MK Party Member of Parliament Wesley Douglas.
Douglas had asked whether Cachalia had ordered a national audit into SAPS corruption that led to the alleged loss of the firearms, and if not, why not.
He also wanted to know whether the Acting Minister would commit to delivering a full report by December 2025, and if so, what the terms of reference of the audit were, when the results would be released, and what consequences management would apply to senior officers implicated.
In his written reply, Cachalia said the SAPS “disputes the number of lost firearms lost, as indicated by the Honourable Member, as there is currently no record of the 7 500 state-issued firearms in question.”
He added that available data from 2019/2020 to date indicates that “a total of 4,124 SAPS-owned firearms were reported as lost/stolen.”
He said the National Commissioner had established a working group to embark on a thorough verification process of all SAPS-owned firearms lost/stolen, as from 2019/2020.
Cachalia further stated that “post 2020, there are no active members that are linked to corruption of and convicted in court for facilitating and/or participating in the supply of SAPS-owned firearms to organised criminal networks.”
Cachalia confirmed that the SAPS “commits to compiling a full report by 31 December 2025, for submission, by 15 January 2026.”
He said the verification process will follow the “SAPS Working Group on Official Losses Terms of Reference,” which was approved on August 31, 2025.
According to Cachalia, the terms of reference include confirmation and management of the physical loss of SAPS-owned firearms, criminal and departmental investigations, reporting on recoveries, determining liability, and ensuring compliance with the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000) and its regulations.
He said the completion of the report on the verification process was “envisaged to be 31 December 2025.’‘
Cachalia also referred to disciplinary measures under the SAPS Discipline Regulations, 2016, noting that Regulation 5(3)(e) addresses members who “intentionally or negligently damage and/or cause loss of state assets,” while Regulation 5(4)(y) covers “contravention of the Firearms Control Act,” both of which apply to any member who “negligently or intentionally losses a state firearm.”
