General Masemola Reaffirms SAPS Independence as Over 292,000 Guns Destroyed

In a powerful public display of accountability and resolve, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s firm commitment to address growing allegations of corruption within the police service. Speaking during a firearm destruction ceremony held in Vanderbijlpark, Masemola underscored the SAPS’s constitutional mandate, reiterated the operational independence of the service, and pledged to root out internal rot while restoring public trust.

“We are ready to brief the President and wish to undoubtably reaffirm the operational independence of SAPS… Our focus must be singular: to serve and protect the citizens of this country,” said Masemola.

His comments come on the heels of national concern over alleged corruption among senior SAPS officials in KwaZulu-Natal, which President Ramaphosa has publicly vowed to confront head-on.

A Constitutional Mandate Anchored in Accountability

Citing Section 205(3) of the South African Constitution, Commissioner Masemola highlighted the SAPS’s core responsibilities: to prevent and investigate crime, maintain public order, safeguard property and lives, and enforce the rule of law without fear or favour. He further referenced Section 207(2), which affirms the National Commissioner’s responsibility to control and manage the police in line with government policy.

“SAPS is not factional property. It is the guardian of every South African’s safety and security,” he stated, directly confronting claims of internal power struggles or external political interference.

Masemola called for unity within the police service, noting that division only serves to weaken its institutional integrity and embolden criminality.

Firearm Destruction: A Direct Strike Against Violent Crime

The event also marked a significant milestone in SAPS’s ongoing effort to remove illegal and unlicensed firearms from circulation. General Masemola described the mass destruction of weapons not as a “symbolic act,” but as a strategic assault on the epidemic of gun violence gripping communities across the country.

“Each firearm destroyed represents a potential life saved, a family spared from grief, and a community fortified against chaos,” he declared.

National Gun Destruction Tally (April 2019–July 2025):

• Total firearms destroyed: 292,092

• Firearms destroyed in February 2025 alone: 16,049

• Firearms destroyed during the current operation: 8,777

Provincial Contributions (Current Operation):

• Gauteng: 5,099

• Western Cape: 2,333

• KwaZulu-Natal: 1,574

• Eastern Cape: 1,432

• Free State: 460

• Mpumalanga: 519

• Limpopo: 343

• North West: 417

• Northern Cape: 322

The Commissioner noted that firearms remain the weapon of choice in violent crimes, including murder and attempted murder. The destruction programme is therefore a cornerstone of SAPS’s violent crime reduction strategy, complementing intelligence-led operations, firearm amnesties, and targeted confiscations.

Institutional Reform in the Face of Corruption

Amid rising public pressure and internal challenges, General Masemola's statements served as both a morale-building call to SAPS members and a pledge to South Africans that law enforcement will not be derailed by corruption. His speech comes after mounting reports of irregularities in procurement, collusion with criminal syndicates, and abuse of power in certain provincial departments.

“I stand before you not to dwell on divisions, but to forge unity… Together, we will root out any force, internal or external, that seeks to fracture us or compromise our sacred duty.”

His remarks align with President Ramaphosa’s broader anti-corruption agenda, which includes high-level investigations into irregularities within the security cluster.

A Pledge to Citizens and Officers Alike

General Masemola’s speech drew attention not only to the operational victories of the SAPS, such as large-scale firearm disposals, but also to the spiritual and ethical renewal required within the service.

“This uniform is not a badge of entitlement, but a symbol of service. The public must see it as such—and so must we,” he concluded.

The SAPS now faces a dual mandate: to fight external threats to public safety, and to confront internal weaknesses that erode public confidence. With corruption allegations under the national spotlight and thousands of firearms reduced to scrap, the service’s next chapter will be closely watched.