Learner caught with unlicensed firearm and ammunition in class

Police in Limpopo arrested a 15-year-old boy and his 37-year-old male relative on Thursday, 05 February 2026, at around 12:00 in Mahonisi Village, Malamulele within the Vhembe District, for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. 

The arrests followed an incident at a local high school where police were summoned after three live rounds of ammunition were confiscated from a 15-year-old learner on the school premises.

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Preliminary investigations revealed that the ammunition belonged to an adult relative of the learner.

Police then went to. search the learner’s home, where they found the 37-year-old relative. They recovered 39 additional rounds of ammunition, a firearm concealed in a holster, a magazine, and empty cartridges hidden in nearby bushes.

The adult suspect was arrested and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He is expected to appear before the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 9 February 2026. 

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The matter against the minor was dealt with in accordance with the Child Justice Act.

Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended the swift response by police and school authorities, warning that illegal firearms, especially involving children, pose a serious threat to community and school safety.

Police investigations remain ongoing, with more arrests possible.