In a significant operation this afternoon, KwaZulu-Natal police raided the KwaMusi and Onyango villages in Nongoma, where they made a startling discovery of weapons linked to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and arrested five murder suspects.
During the raid, police confiscated an array of deadly firearms, including an R1 assault rifle, an AK-47 assault rifle, two shotguns, and various ammunition. Officers also found pieces of SANDF uniforms among the items seized.
According to a statement by the South African Police Service (SAPS), investigations revealed that the R1 rifle belongs to the SANDF, yet it had never been reported missing. One of the shotguns had been stolen in Olievenhoutbosch, Gauteng, back in February 2018, while the second shotgun is legally licensed to a private individual. Authorities are now working to track down the registered owner, who also failed to report the weapon as stolen.
The police are continuing their investigation to determine how SANDF weapons ended up in the hands of civilians and to uncover any further links to criminal activity.
This raid comes amid heightened efforts to crack down on violent crime in the province. The arrest of the five murder suspects marks a step forward in addressing the ongoing challenges of illegal firearms and the impact of such weapons on community safety.
Police have emphasized that further action will be taken as the investigation unfolds.
