READ: Cape Town Police Arrest Three Foreign Nationals in Cemetery Shooting Incident

On Wednesday, 14 May 2025, at approximately 1:00 PM, members of the Maitland Flying Squad in the Western Cape responded to reports of a shooting at Maitland Cemetery in Kensington. Acting on the information, officers blocked exit routes and approached the cemetery, where 40 to 50 individuals were gathered at a gravesite, some performing a gun salute.

Three foreign nationals, aged 32, 36, and 50, were arrested on charges related to possession of unlicensed firearms, ammunition, and a prohibited firearm. Police seized a 7.65 mm pistol with five rounds, a 9mm CZ firearm with no serial number, and a 9mm Norinco with one round of ammunition. Additionally, four firearms—a .38 Special Taurus, a Glock 17, a Norinco 7.65, and a CZ 7.65—along with an extended magazine containing 23 rounds, were found abandoned near the grave. The firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine if they were used in other crimes.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 16 May 2025.

Western Cape Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bongani Maqhashalala, condemned the illegal use of firearms at funerals, describing the brandishing and firing of guns as a danger to society and a violation of the law. He emphasized that such actions will face strict consequences.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenge of illegal firearms in South Africa, where an estimated 3.8 million unregistered firearms are in circulation across the country, alongside approximately 3 million registered firearms. In the 2022/2023 period, South African police recorded around 15,600 offenses related to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, with a peak of 17,600 cases in 2017/2018. These weapons, often sourced from theft, loss from state institutions, or smuggling from neighboring countries like Mozambique and Zimbabwe, contribute significantly to violent crime, including robberies and murders.