The OR Tambo District police in the Eastern Cape arrested two male suspects, aged 43 and 52, during separate operations in Lusikisiki and Port St John’s

The OR Tambo District police in the Eastern Cape arrested two male suspects, aged 43 and 52, during separate operations in Lusikisiki and Port St John’s

February 20, 2026 • News

The OR Tambo District police in the Eastern Cape arrested two male suspects, aged 43 and 52, during separate operations in Lusikisiki and Port St John’s between 19 and 20 February 2026.

The first incident occurred on Thursday, 19 February 2026, at approximately 14:20 in Mngazana locality, Ndimakude Administrative Area, Port St John’s. Members attached to Port St John’s Crime Prevention operationalised information about a 52-year-old male allegedly in possession of an illegal firearm. Upon arrival at the suspect’s homestead, members conducted a search and recovered a prohibited homemade shotgun loaded with four live rounds of ammunition. The suspect was immediately arrested on charges of unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition.

In a separate intelligence-driven operation during the early hours of Friday, 20 February 2026, members of the Zone 4 District Task Team, assisted by Maluti and Lusikisiki K9 units as well as Port St John’s Crime Intelligence, acted on information regarding another suspect in Thaleni locality, Ntafufu Administrative Area, Lusikisiki. The operation led to the arrest of a 43-year-old male found in possession of an unlicensed 9mm pistol with an intact serial number and live rounds of ammunition. The suspect failed to produce a valid firearm license and was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The two suspects are expected to appear before the Lusikisiki and Port St John’s Magistrate’s Courts on Friday, 20 February 2026, facing charges of unlawful possession of unlicensed or illegal firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.