11 800 guns were destroyed by SAPS.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has destroyed 11 859 firearms and firearm parts as part of a nationwide effort to curb gun violence and prevent illegal weapons from returning to circulation.
The destruction, led by Deputy Minister of Police Dr Polly Boshielo on Wednesday, coincided with International Firearm Destruction Day, a United Nations campaign observed annually on July 9.
According to SAPS, the weapons cache included 9 596 handguns, 1 102 rifles, 798 shotguns, 33 combination firearms and 330 firearm parts.
The latest destruction brings the total number of firearms destroyed by the police over the past seven years to 317 811.
