A former senior police official has been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of ammunition after investigators recovered more than 100 rounds of South African Police Service (SAPS) ammunition during a search of his home in Centurion earlier this year.
Cold Case Unit raid, seized material and charge
The arrest followed a search conducted on 6 July 2026 by the SAPS National Cold Case Unit. Police said they recovered in excess of 100 rounds of SAPS-issued ammunition, including R5 rifle and 9mm cartridges. Investigators also seized documents and electronic devices that police believe are relevant to the investigation into the 2021 murder of Lieutenant‑General Sindile Mfazi.
Police have charged the suspect with unlawful possession of ammunition in contravention of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000. He is due to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
“A 57yr‑old former police general has been arrested for the unlawful possession of more than 100 rounds of #SAPS issued ammunition, including R5 and 9mm ammunition,” the SAPS tweeted on 20 October 2026.
The former general left the SAPS in 2009, police said. SAPS has not released the man’s name ahead of his first court appearance.
What police removed and why it matters
The material seized during the July operation is understood by police to be linked to the probe into Mfazi’s death, a high‑profile case that has drawn sustained public and institutional attention because of his senior role within crime detection. Police statements have tied the electronic devices and documents recovered to that ongoing investigation.
- Search date: 6 July 2026
- Location: Centurion
- Investigating unit: SAPS National Cold Case Unit
- Reported evidence seized: more than 100 rounds of SAPS‑issued ammunition (R5 and 9mm), plus documents and electronic devices
- Charge: unlawful possession of ammunition under the Firearms Control Act
Because the ammunition is described as SAPS‑issued, investigators will need to account for its provenance and any chain of custody. That inquiry may involve internal SAPS records, firearms registers and allocation or disposition paperwork for police equipment issued prior to the suspect’s departure from the service.
| Item | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Ammunition | More than 100 rounds; includes R5 rifle and 9mm |
| Other material | Documents and electronic devices believed relevant to the Mfazi investigation |
Legal and institutional context
The Firearms Control Act makes unlawful possession of ammunition an offence and sets out stringent controls over the issue, transfer and retention of state ammunition. If the ammunition is proved to have originated from SAPS stocks, questions will arise about how it left official inventory and why it was being held by a former member.
Separately, the seizure of records and digital material could bear directly on the Cold Case Unit’s inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Lieutenant‑General Mfazi’s death in 2021. Police have previously said Mfazi’s death formed part of a wider set of enquiries; the presence of possible evidentiary material in a former officer’s home is likely to be investigated and to feature in court processes.
The matter will proceed through the ordinary criminal justice process. The accused is expected to make a first appearance at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, where the charge will be formally presented and bail considered according to court practice and the submissions of the National Prosecuting Authority if they elect to prosecute.
Further details, including the accused’s identity and any additional charges, will normally be disclosed in court filings and by police once legal processes permit.
