South Africa: Nearly 1,800 Seized Weapons Destroyed in Lesotho

Saturday 12 September 2026 - 13:15

South Africa and Lesotho are strengthening their police cooperation to combat the illegal circulation of firearms. Nearly 1,800 weapons confiscated during operations in Lesotho were transferred to South Africa before being permanently destroyed.

South African and Lesotho authorities have taken a new step in their joint fight against arms trafficking. On Friday, police forces from both countries proceeded to destroy 1,787 firearms seized in Lesotho as part of various operations against crime.

Confiscated by Lesotho police during targeted interventions, the weapons were transferred to South Africa, where they were destroyed. The operation aims to prevent these weapons from re-entering criminal circuits or being used in illegal activities on either side of the border.

Enhanced Cooperation Between the Two Countries

This initiative illustrates the willingness of South Africa and Lesotho to strengthen their coordination in the face of the transnational dimension of firearm-related crime.

The National Central Bureaus of Interpol from both countries participated in organizing and monitoring the transfer of the weapons. Their involvement ensured coordination among the various services involved in this operation.

For the South African police, this type of action underscores the importance of close international cooperation to limit the proliferation of illicit arms and their circulation between countries in the region.

As Part of the African Amnesty Month

The destruction of the weapons also takes place in the context of the African Amnesty Month, an initiative that is part of the African Union's efforts to reduce the presence and circulation of illicit arms on the continent.

This approach aligns with the continental goal of "silencing the guns," particularly through the recovery, neutralization, and destruction of illegally held weapons.

Beyond its symbolic dimension, authorities consider the definitive destruction of seized weapons as a concrete means to reduce the risks of them being diverted or resold to criminal networks.

A Second Operation in Two Months

The operation conducted with Lesotho comes just weeks after a significant destruction campaign carried out in South Africa.

In July, South African authorities destroyed 11,859 firearms, along with 4,089 imitation and air guns.

The repetition of these operations demonstrates the importance placed by authorities on eliminating stockpiles of weapons recovered during police interventions.

For both Pretoria and Maseru, destruction is thus an essential link in the strategy to combat armed crime and cross-border trafficking. It ensures that the weapons removed from circulation cannot, in the long term, feed back into criminal networks.

A Priority for Regional Security

Cooperation between South Africa and Lesotho occurs in a context where the circulation of illicit arms poses a security challenge that transcends national borders.

By involving police services, national Interpol structures, and regional cooperation mechanisms, the two countries aim to better control the movement of arms and prevent their reintroduction into clandestine circuits.