A dramatic legal showdown in the Durban High Court has ended in defeat for controversial businessman Calvin Mathibeli after his urgent attempt to block a police firearms inspection was thrown out with costs.
Mathibeli, who is linked to the ANC and owns Calvin and Family Security Services in Durban North, rushed to court in a last minute bid to stop SAPS from entering his company premises.
But the court was not convinced.
In a decisive ruling, the judge dismissed the application, finding that it lacked urgency and ordering Mathibeli to pay legal costs to the police.
The decision clears the way for SAPS to move forward immediately with a full firearms compliance inspection at the company under Operation Buyisa.
The operation is part of a nationwide crackdown targeting illegal firearms and non compliant security companies.
Police confirmed that the inspection will proceed as planned, backed by constitutional powers and Section 109 of the Firearms Control Act.
Operation Buyisa has become one of SAPS’s most aggressive responses to rising gun violence, with officers deployed across multiple provinces to seize illegal weapons and enforce strict compliance.
Authorities say security companies are now under intense scrutiny.
Any business found operating outside the law faces serious consequences including confiscation of firearms and potential criminal charges.
SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mukhathi said the operation is focused on stopping the spread of illegal firearms and tightening control over licensed weapons.
He warned that inspections will continue across the country as police intensify efforts to restore order and reduce gun related crime.
The failed court bid has now placed Mathibeli and his company firmly in the spotlight as police move in.
And as Operation Buyisa gains momentum, more security firms could soon find themselves facing similar inspections.
For SAPS, the message is clear.
No one is above the law.