03 May 2022

Police anti-stock theft unit head, Senior Assistant Commissioner Maluti Segola has expressed concern over the high rate of stock theft in the country.

Speaking at the Sandveld Ranchers Association farmers’ day recently, he said unlike in the past, nowadays missing livestock was seldom recovered.

“In the past, missing cattle were recovered because they would have gone astray, unlike in recent years when they would have been stolen, taken to butcheries and feedlots among others,” she said.

The senior assistant commissioner highlighted that the North Central Division was leading in stock theft cases especially in Bobonong area, where cross border rustlers  were involved.

She also noted that the South Division had a high number of stock theft cases, particularly in Borolong, Kweneng and Kgalagadi areas.

North Division, she said, was on third spot, followed by Northwest, while South Central Division experienced minimal stock theft.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Segola however, noted that though stock theft was rampant in the country, statistics indicated that  the numbers were not increasing, but recovery rate was low.

She indicated that in 2017, the anti-stock theft unit recorded 6 582 cases, while in 2021 there was  a slight difference with 6 555 cases recorded.

The anti-stock theft unit head encouraged farmers to work together and also form syndicates across zones.

She said cattle rustlers worked as syndicates, hence the need for farmers to also do the same to assist each other.

Senior assistant commissioner Segola also implored farmers to desist from transporting cattle at night. BOPA