Gun violence: Tracking tech proposed as 3,400 SAPS firearms lost or stolen

Only 559 of those firearms have been recovered.

The figures have reignited debate over whether tracking devices should be attached to police-issued firearms, and potentially to civilian guns, to curb theft, improve recovery rates and address systemic failures.

Over 3,400 SAPS firearms were lost or stolen

Gun Free South Africa says technology and innovation must be properly evaluated as part of efforts to tackle gun violence.

Dr Stanley Maphosa, Director of Gun Free South Africa, said any tracking system must be independently piloted and assessed before being scaled up.

“We embrace technology and innovation, and this technology and innovation must be evaluated properly,” Maphosa said.

He said tracking devices could help prevent theft, enable rapid recovery and deter internal collusion, but warned that implementation cannot be imposed without proper testing.

“It’s not an issue of just imposing it,” he said, adding that effectiveness and usability must first be established.

Civilian firearms under scrutiny

Maphosa said the problem extends beyond SAPS.

While 3,400 police firearms were reported lost or stolen over five years, he said, civilian firearms, including those owned by private individuals and the private security sector, account for significant annual losses.

He said any technological solution introduced for SAPS firearms should also apply to civilian firearm owners.

“Civilians cover both individual owners and private security, so this must apply to both,” he said.

Legislation and accountability

Should a tracking system prove effective, legislation would be required to formalise its use.

Maphosa said due process must be followed, including engagement with the legislative framework and the Central Firearms Registry.

“We are in a technology period or era, and therefore we should embrace technology,” he said.

But he stressed that technology alone would not resolve South Africa’s gun violence crisis.

He called for a combination of tools, including physical controls, retention devices, proper loss reporting, independent oversight, discipline and accountability across both state and civilian firearm owners.

“We cannot look at one side of the coin and think we will win,” Maposa said.

As questions mount over lost and stolen guns and their role in violent incidents, the proposal to attach tracking devices is likely to remain central to the debate over accountability, corruption and reform within the firearms system.

For more detailed information, listen to Maphosa using the audio player below: