SAPS Seize AK47 Rifles, Explosives and Ammunition During an Operation in Mpumalanga

• The Mpumalanga South African Police Service arrested eight suspects after they launched an operation to prevent a potential crime from taking place
• The operation began on the weekend, and the police successfully stopped a would-be robbery from taking place
• South Africans were worried that the police seized multiple firearms and ammunition during the arrests

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

NELSPRUIT, MPUMALANGA — South Africans were concerned about the prevalence of guns on the streets after the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested eight suspects in Mpumalanga on 22 December 2025. The police also seized firearms.

According to the South African Police Service, SAPS' Witbank Crime Intelligence gathered information on 19 December that a robbery was planned by a group of heavily armed individuals whose safe house was located in Vosman near Witbank.

Read also

Bekkersdal tavern death toll rises after victim dies in hospital

SAPS prevents robbery

Witbank's Tactical Response Team, the Tracking Team, Pienaar's TRT, Middleburg's Flying Squad, Nkangala's Anti-Hijacking Task Team joined forces with Tracker Connect and mobilised to prevent the robbery from taking place. The police pounced on the suspects' safehouse.

The suspects tried to flee, but the police cornered them. The suspects, aged between 29 and 51, were arrested. They were charged with possession of illegal firearms, explosives and suspected stolen vehicles. The vehicles were registered to owners living in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape. More charges could be added. The police seized five AK47 rifles.

SAPS operations during the festive season

More than 16,000 suspects were arrested across the country during various operations since the beginning of the festive season. During Operation Shanela, the police arrested 16,800 suspects nationwide in the first week of December. The suspects were arrested for various crimes including murder, rape and attempted murder among others.

Read also

Police probe murder and robbery after taxi driver gunned down in Bishop Lavis

The police arrested 300 suspects during crime operations in the Northern Cape since the festive season began. The police also shut down 39 unlicensed liquor stores and arrested scores of drunk motorists during roadblocks. Suspects were also arrested for murder, attempted murder and assault among others.

South Africans concerned

Netizens discussing the operation on Facebook were worried about gun prevalence in South Africa.

Jabu Mahlangu said:

"A CIT robbery was about to be committed."

Lino Piscopo asked:

"Where are these firearms coming from? Is it from neighbouring countries? Surely an AK47 cannot be issued to an ordinary citizen?"

Sarona Makaketsa said:

"South Africans would have been developed if these thugs put more effort into strategically-developing companies instead of robberies."

Nkululeko Ndalo Jele asked:

"Who is supplying them with all of these, and who are they working for?"

Dirk Van Der Westhuizen said:

"Sounds like a well-planned CIT robbery that was expertly foiled. Well done."

SAPS foil robbery in Wynberg

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the police in Cape Town, Western Cape, foiled an asassination plot at the Wynberg Court. Seven suspects were arrested for the attempted incident on 15 December 2025.

Read also

SAPS arrests suspect for Saulsville shooting which killed 12

Authorities received information about a suspicious Toyota Quantum travelling to Wynberg. The suspects were en route to assassinate a witness when the police arrested them.

Source: Briefly News