KEY POINTS
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Five young men were arrested in KwaMashu, KZN, with illegal firearms and suspected drugs during a routine police operation.
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The arrests follow a police crackdown on violent crime, spearheaded by provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
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Authorities are investigating links between the suspects and broader criminal networks as efforts to stabilise the province intensify.
In the early hours of Tuesday, May 13, five young men were arrested in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal, after police found them in possession of illegal firearms, ammunition, and suspected narcotics.
The arrest took place at a filling station in Bridge City during a routine patrol and stop-and-search operation carried out by members of the Public Order Policing (POP) unit.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, officers noticed a suspicious vehicle occupied by five men. Upon approaching the car and conducting a search, each suspect was found to be armed with firearms.
According to IOL, several rounds of live ammunition were also recovered, along with substances believed to be illegal drugs.
“Vigilant police officers approached the vehicle and during the subsequent search, five suspects were found in possession of a firearm each and several rounds of ammunition,” said Netshiunda.
One of the individuals, believed to be the driver, claimed he was an e-hailing service provider hired by the other passengers. However, he was unable to produce a license for the firearm found in his possession.
Youths in late teens and early 20s face prosecution
All five suspects are reportedly in their late teens and early twenties and are expected to appear in court soon. Their arrest follows closely on the heels of another incident on Monday, in which three murder suspects were fatally shot by police in a shootout in Amaoti, also located in KwaZulu-Natal.
These developments come in the wake of a strategic police meeting held last week in Durban, where provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi urged commanders to intensify efforts in cracking down on violent crime and restoring public safety across KZN communities.
Police believe these arrests highlight both the effectiveness of increased patrols and the urgency of the province’s crime prevention measures, particularly in hotspot zones like KwaMashu and Inanda.
The seized weapons and drugs are being subjected to forensic testing as part of ongoing investigations. Authorities are also exploring possible gang affiliations or criminal syndicates linked to the suspects.
KwaZulu-Natal has seen a spike in violent crime and drug-related activity in recent months, prompting a multi-layered approach from law enforcement that includes community engagement, tactical operations, and technology-driven intelligence gathering.
“We are committed to ensuring that communities like KwaMashu no longer live under the shadow of gun violence and narcotics,” said Netshiunda, adding that further patrols and arrests are anticipated in the days ahead.
