The Western Cape MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, has praised the South African Police Service (SAPS) for seizing a significant cache of illegal firearms in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain.

During an intelligence-driven operation on Monday, 1 September, police recovered 19 firearms and around 1,500 rounds of ammunition from a house in the area.

WATCH: Firearms cache uncovered in Mitchells Plain, tied to gang violence

Marais described the breakthrough as a major step in tackling gang-related violence, which continues to plague many Cape communities.

“Every illegal firearm taken off our streets is one less tool of terror in the hands of gangsters,” she said.

“The trauma inflicted by these weapons is felt deeply, and operations like this show what can be achieved when intelligence and decisive action come together.”

She also urged SAPS to trace the source of the weapons and dismantle the criminal networks behind their distribution.

“It is vital that this investigation leads to arrests and prosecutions. Only through effective legal action can we send a clear message to gangs: your reign of terror will not be tolerated, and there will be consequences for those who continue to threaten the lives and livelihoods of our people,” Marais concluded.