NATIONAL NEWS - Answers to the DA’s recent parliamentary questions have revealed that over 3 400 SAPS firearms were lost or stolen between 2019 and 2024.

Only 559 have been recovered, meaning the vast majority remain in criminal hands. Many of these guns are now being used to commit violent crimes.

Most losses occurred through robbery and theft, not negligence, showing the scale of criminal activity targeting the police themselves.

Ian Cameron MP, DA deputy spokesperson on police, says 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.

"Yet instead of fixing these critical issues, the Firearms Control Amendment Bill seeks to disarm responsible South Africans. 

He says 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.

Cameron says the DA will oppose the bill in Parliament and lead a nationwide campaign to stop it. 

"We will mobilise communities, raise public awareness and make it clear that law-abiding South Africans will not be punished for government failures.

"If necessary, we will take this matter to court to defend the right of every responsible citizen to protect themselves and their families."

The parliamentary question answers also reveal that SAPS refuses to disclose which stations, clusters, or ranks are most prone to firearm losses, citing “security concerns”. 

Cameron says this lack of transparency blocks accountability and prevents meaningful action to stop firearms from falling into criminal hands.

He says 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."

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