Stuart Scharnick’s Firearms Seized by Political Killings Task Team After Madlanga Commission Arrest
- The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) moved swiftly against Stuart James Scharnick on 20 August 2026
- Scharnick was arrested at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry after he allegedly intimidated a journalist
- South Africans weighed in on the arrest and PKTT's actions, sharing varied reactions to the developments
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Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG - The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) moved swiftly against Stuart James Scharnick, confiscating licensed firearms hours after he was arrested at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Scharnick was arrested at the Madlanga Commission on 20 August 2026, shortly after a journalist opened a charge of intimidation against him. Scharnick confronted The Sowetan’s Herman Moloi during breaks in proceedings, expressing unhappiness that the journalist took photos and videos of him.
Police confiscate Scharnick’s weapons
After his arrest, Yusuf Abramjee and Pule Letshwiti-Jones confirmed that the PKTT visited the Johannesburg home of Scharnick, where they confiscated his licensed firearm.
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Officers subsequently raided a gun shop connected to Scharnick, where two further licensed firearms were seized. Investigators then reportedly travelled to Pietermaritzburg, where they expected to recover an additional weapon.
Girlfriend alleges unlawful search
Scharnick's girlfriend claimed that the officers who searched their Johannesburg home did not present a valid search warrant. She further alleged that photographs and videos were deleted from her cellphone during a search of the bedroom. These claims have not been independently verified.
Social media reacts to the action taken against Scharnick
The development drew widespread comment on social media, with many users questioning the scope of the investigation.
@DarlingtonKasu4 asked:
"Why is the PKTT involved in journalist intimidation matters? Just asking."
@RichmanSekatane remarked:
"That girlfriend must look for a new boyfriend. That one will come back after 15 years."
@Gervinho_Tshepo wrote:
"This is not only for intimidation charges. I think they have been waiting for his wrong move."
@maxmash8 added:
"They will keep him for the big cases now. He messed up on that little guy from Sowetan. Ke yena sghora yena akere. Lol"
@LWR08 stated:
"They are about to add more charges."
Scharnick's criminal records deleted from system
Briefly News reported that the KwaZulu-Natal Police provided more details about the criminal cases against Scharnick.
Major General Anthony Gopaul noted how Scharnick's criminal records were deleted from the police system's front end.
The records were still retrievable from the system’s back end, which allowed investigators to uncover the incident.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
