Crime Detected by Police
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in South Africa
Unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition
Total Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition (2025)
12,239
0.1%
Rate per 100k
20
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 30,180 | 50 | — |
| FY2019 | 15,779 | 26 | -47.7% |
| FY2020 | 12,915 | 21 | -18.2% |
| FY2021 | 13,602 | 22 | +5.3% |
| FY2022 | 15,757 | 26 | +15.8% |
| FY2023 | 16,060 | 27 | +1.9% |
| FY2024 | 16,331 | 27 | +1.7% |
| FY2025 | 16,319 | 27 | -0.1% |
Overall change since FY2019: -22.4%
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 2,787 | 39 |
| 2 | KwaZulu-Natal | 2,864 | 25 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 1,519 | 23 |
| 4 | Gauteng | 2,957 | 18 |
| 5 | Free State | 381 | 13 |
| 6 | North West | 527 | 13 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 560 | 12 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 591 | 10 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 53 | 4 |
Top 20 Precincts — Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 2 | 200,000 |
| 2 | Maydon Wharf | kwazulu-natal | 1 | 100,000 |
| 3 | Mitchells Plain | western-cape | 193 | 255 |
| 4 | Philippi | western-cape | 190 | 251 |
| 5 | Vredenburg | western-cape | 50 | 251 |
| 6 | Delft | western-cape | 176 | 232 |
| 7 | Bishop Lavis | western-cape | 151 | 199 |
| 8 | Ezakheni | kwazulu-natal | 88 | 178 |
| 9 | Manenberg | western-cape | 119 | 157 |
| 10 | Ravensmead | western-cape | 119 | 157 |
| 11 | Eldorado Park | gauteng | 157 | 137 |
| 12 | Willowvale | eastern-cape | 29 | 133 |
| 13 | Mfuleni | western-cape | 98 | 129 |
| 14 | Kwazakele | eastern-cape | 76 | 121 |
| 15 | Ngqayi | eastern-cape | 18 | 119 |
| 16 | Ngcobo | eastern-cape | 29 | 116 |
| 17 | Saldanha | western-cape | 22 | 111 |
| 18 | Grassy Park | western-cape | 83 | 110 |
| 19 | Gugulethu | western-cape | 83 | 110 |
| 20 | Msinga | kwazulu-natal | 58 | 107 |
About Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in South Africa
Unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. In 2025, there were 12,239 reported cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition across South Africa, representing a rate of 20 per 100,000 population. This represents a 0.1% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Crime Detected by Police" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 3,716 | 52 |
| 2 | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,819 | 33 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 2,025 | 30 |
| 4 | Gauteng | 3,943 | 24 |
| 5 | Free State | 508 | 17 |
| 6 | North West | 703 | 17 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 747 | 16 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 788 | 13 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 71 | 5 |