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Stuff from Johannesburg

100 Firearms Seized From Soweto Security Company

GAUTENG – The South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to intensify its efforts to combat the proliferation and misuse of firearms through targeted operations aimed at removing illegal firearms from circulation and ensuring strict compliance with the Firearms Control Act, 60 of 2000.

Following a compliance inspection operation, members deployed under OPERATION BUYISA seized 100 firearms and ammunition from a security company based in Soweto, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 22 August 2026, for contraventions of the Firearms Control Act, 60 of 2000.

According to a preliminary report, the security company’s Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) accreditation was recently suspended, whereafter the responsible person failed to dispose of the firearms as required.

The compliance inspection further revealed that the company’s firearm storage facility does not meet the requirements stipulated in the Act.

The seized firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to determine whether they have been used in the commission of any crimes.

Operation BUYISA, established in 2025, is a national intervention focused on removing illegal firearms from circulation while promoting compliance with the Firearms Control Act among lawful firearm owners.

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The Wilds: A Sanctuary of Stone and Steel

The Wilds was officially opened to the public in 1938, carved out of the rocky “koppies” (hills) of the Witwatersrand. Unlike the manicured lawns of the city’s more traditional parks, The Wilds was designed to showcase South Africa’s botanical heritage. It is a vertical garden of sorts, featuring steep stone paths that wind through forests of yellowwood trees, proteas, and ancient cycads. At its highest point, the reserve offers one of the most spectacular views of the Johannesburg skyline, where the brutalist towers of Hillbrow seem to rise directly out of the prehistoric-looking vegetation.

However, like many of Johannesburg’s public spaces, The Wilds fell into a period of deep neglect during the late 1990s and early 2000s. As crime rates rose and the city’s maintenance budgets shifted, the reserve became overgrown and was perceived as a “no-go zone.” The waterfalls stopped running, the stone paths crumbled, and the once-vibrant greenhouse became a skeletal ruin. For nearly two decades, this incredible piece of real estate sat largely abandoned, used only by a few brave locals and the occasional film crew looking for a “wilderness” setting within city limits.