Two men arrested in OR Tambo firearm crackdown

Two men aged 43 and 52 have been arrested in separate intelligence-driven operations in the OR Tambo District, Eastern Cape, after police recovered illegal firearms and ammunition.

According to police, the arrests were carried out between 19 and 20 February 2026 in Port St John’s and Lusikisiki.

Homemade shotgun seized in Port St John’s

The first arrest took place on Thursday, 19 February 2026, at about 14:20 in Mngazana locality, Ndimakude Administrative Area, Port St John’s.

Members attached to South African Police Service Crime Prevention in Port St John’s operationalised information about a 52-year-old man who was allegedly in possession of an illegal firearm.

Police proceeded to the suspect’s homestead, where a search was conducted. During the search, officers recovered a prohibited homemade shotgun loaded with four live rounds of ammunition.

The suspect was immediately arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

9mm pistol recovered in Lusikisiki operation

In a separate operation during the early hours of Friday, 20 February 2026, members of the Zone 4 District Task Team, assisted by Maluti and Lusikisiki K9 units as well as Port St John’s Crime Intelligence, acted on information about another suspect.

The operation was conducted in Thaleni locality, Ntafufu Administrative Area, Lusikisiki.

Police arrested a 43-year-old man who was found in possession of an unlicensed 9mm pistol with an intact serial number and live rounds of ammunition. The suspect allegedly failed to produce a valid firearm licence and was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Court appearances expected

The two suspects are expected to appear in the Lusikisiki and Port St John’s Magistrate’s Courts on Friday, 20 February 2026.

They face charges relating to the unlawful possession of unlicensed or illegal firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Police investigations are ongoing.