South Africa and Lesotho destroy 1,787 seized firearms

Law enforcement authorities from South Africa and Lesotho have jointly destroyed 1,787 firearms that were seized during crime-fighting operations in Lesotho. The destruction ceremony, held on Friday, 11 September 2026, was presided over by South African Police Service (SAPS) Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane and Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Police Chief Commissioner Advocate Borotho Matsoso.

The initiative was conducted during African Amnesty Month and aligns with the African Union’s ‘Silencing the Guns’ objective and its Agenda 2063 vision for a peaceful and secure continent. The firearms were originally seized by LMPS officers during targeted operations in Lesotho before being transported to South Africa for permanent removal from circulation.

Both agencies emphasized the necessity of cross-border collaboration to combat transnational crimes, including human trafficking, stock theft, and vehicle trafficking. The operation was facilitated by the National Central Bureaus of INTERPOL in both nations, highlighting a commitment to intelligence sharing, coordinated border management, and joint investigations to reduce regional violence.