Four men heavily involved in the ongoing provincial protests against undocumented foreign nationals have been arrested in Muden after a police raid uncovered a stash of high-caliber weapons and ammunition.

The suspects, aged between 19 and 35, were apprehended in the early hours of Thursday morning during a targeted, intelligence-driven operation led by National Crime Intelligence and the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Task Team.

According to KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, Crime Intelligence units deployed in the province had gathered actionable data linking the prominent marchers to high-profile criminal activities, including cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies.

The tactical operation led officers to a residence in Muden where the multi-disciplinary team discovered an AK-47 assault rifle, two handguns, and 159 rounds of live ammunition. All four suspects were immediately taken into custody and charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that all three seized firearms will undergo comprehensive forensic and ballistic testing to determine whether they can be linked to other unsolved violent crimes in KwaZulu-Natal or across South Africa.

These high-profile arrests come amid heightened security measures across KwaZulu-Natal, where President Cyril Ramaphosa recently deployed over 500 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers to assist local police in maintaining law and order following a wave of volatile demonstrations centered around immigration, unemployment, and crime.

The four suspects are expected to make their first legal appearance before the Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 30 October 2026.

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