Police in Gauteng have arrested two suspects and seized a cache of high-powered weapons as part of ongoing efforts to curb violent crime and the spread of illegal firearms in the province.

Members of the Organised Crime Unit recovered three AK-47 rifles, a 9mm pistol and scores of rounds of ammunition during an intelligence-driven operation in Lawley Extension 2 in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg.

The operation, carried out on Thursday, led police to a property where the weapons were discovered. Two foreign nationals were found in possession of the firearms and were arrested at the scene.

According to police, the suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the arrest forms part of a broader campaign to disrupt the circulation of illegal weapons linked to violent crime in Gauteng.

Nevhuhulwi said the recovered firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether they were previously used in the commission of crimes.

“Police remain committed to removing illegal firearms from circulation as these weapons are often used in serious and violent crimes,” she said.

Authorities believe the recovery of assault rifles such as AK-47s is significant, as the weapons are commonly linked to organised criminal networks, armed robberies and gang violence across the province.

The latest arrests come as law enforcement agencies intensify operations to clamp down on criminal syndicates operating in Gauteng.

Meanwhile, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has begun deploying hundreds of soldiers across parts of the province to assist police in tackling illegal mining and gang-related crime.

The deployment follows an announcement by Cyril Ramaphosa during the 2026 State of the Nation Address that the military would be sent to crime-affected areas to support policing operations.

A total of 550 soldiers have been deployed in Gauteng under Operation Prosper, a joint initiative between the SANDF and the South African Police Service aimed at dismantling illegal mining networks and stabilising communities plagued by violent crime.

The one-year deployment, which began on 1 March 2026 and will run until March 2027, is expected to cost more than R80-million.

Soldiers initially arrived in Randfontein on Johannesburg’s West Rand before being redeployed to Benoni on the East Rand as part of a strategy targeting illegal mining operations and the criminal syndicates believed to control them.

Troops have also been conducting joint patrols and raids with police in communities such as Eldorado Park, Riverlea, Westbury and Sophiatown.

During recent operations in these areas, security forces made arrests linked to drug possession. In one incident in Westbury, suspects were apprehended with crystal methamphetamine, while another arrest in Eldorado Park led to the seizure of drugs worth about R100,000 and cash amounting to R15,960.

Officials say the presence of soldiers is intended to strengthen police capacity in high-crime areas where gang activity and illegal mining operations have fuelled violence.

Under the deployment plan, SANDF members operate as a support force to the police, with SAPS maintaining overall command and authority during law enforcement operations.

The military assistance forms part of a broader national strategy aimed at tackling illegal mining and organised crime across several provinces, including the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

Illegal mining has become a major security concern in Gauteng, particularly in areas around abandoned mine shafts where heavily armed criminal groups are believed to operate.

Authorities say joint operations between soldiers and police will continue in the coming months as security forces attempt to dismantle criminal networks, seize illegal weapons and restore stability in communities affected by gang violence and illicit mining activities.