Viral Gun Video Sparks Concern as SAPS Warns Against Dangerous Social Media Trends

• A viral video showing two women handling and cocking firearms inside a home has sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns about reckless gun use
• SAPS has issued a strong warning, stressing that firearms are dangerous weapons that must only be handled by licensed and properly trained individuals
• Public reaction has been fierce, with many social media users condemning the behaviour and calling for accountability over the incident
• UPDATE: SAPS Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe shared with Briefly News that the owners of the guns have since been found and arrested

SOUTH AFRICA — A disturbing video circulating widely on social media has sparked public concern after showing two women casually handling and cocking firearms inside a home, in what appeared to be an attempt to create online content.

The clip, which quickly gained traction online on 15 May 2026, has drawn sharp criticism from members of the public who say the behaviour was reckless and could have easily ended in tragedy.

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Police issue a warning about the reckless handling of a firearm

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued a strong warning after a video showed two women handling firearms in what appeared to be unsafe and untrained conditions.

Police said they were deeply concerned by the incident and stressed that the individuals in the video did not appear to be properly trained or authorised to use guns.

Authorities reminded the public that firearms are not toys or props for social media content, but dangerous weapons that require strict legal control, training, and responsibility. SAPS warned that using guns for online trends puts lives at serious risk.

Police also warned that gun owners can face criminal charges if they allow unauthorised access to their weapons.

With South Africa facing high levels of gun violence, the incident has raised fresh concern about risky online behaviour driven by the pursuit of social media attention.

See the video here:

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South Africans responded to the viral video

Many social media users took to the comments section to chastise the women over their reckless behaviour. Some pointed out how the incident could have ended in tragedy, while others questioned why the two had not yet been apprehended by the police.

@Godknows4177221 said:

"They think it’s funny. Education is extremely important! What are they teaching the children? Maybe they need to be taken in for questioning."

@charlie_monka stated:

"I don't see anything in this statement that talks about them being arrested. I can bet these two have no licenses. The statement itself says this behaviour is illegal, but they are just issuing concerns."

@Andrew_Mayekis commented:

"That's not a way to handle a firearm, you can't just wave it around and cocking it. What if one is up, sometimes people don't think it will end in tears."

@VintageTundra11 said:

"I don’t see how people can find this funny. I hate people who don’t know how to handle a firearm and want to play with it."

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@GTS4xr remarked:

"Why are they not arrested by now? Stop giving us pointless statements and affect the arrests!"

SAPS arrest gun owners

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe shared with Briefly News that the owners of the guns seen in the video have been arrested. The two men, aged 21 and 34, were found in Tembisa, and the unlicensed guns were allegedly linked to several hijackings. They have been arrested for the contravention of the Firearms Control Act, the illegal possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, as well as owning a hijacked motor vehicle. They are expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrates' Court next week. Mathe further informed the publication that police continue to trace the woman seen in the video.

Teenager accidently shoots himself and friend

In related news, a teenage boy from KwaZulu-Natal was killed by accidentally shooting himself while playing with a friend. The second boy, also a teenager, was not injured in the accidental shooting incident in the Stranger area. The firearm is said to have belonged to one of the boys' relatives.

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Six-year-old boy accidentally shoots his sister

Briefly News also reported that a five-year-old girl was shot in the head by her six-year-old brother in Bethelsdorp in the Eastern Cape. tragically, the little girl died after being rushed to the hospital. Police said cases of culpable homicide and defeating the ends of justice were opened following the death. According to reports, the incident occurred midday when the siblings were playing with the firearm at a house in Ext 31.

Source: Briefly News