11 Aug 2022

Kgosi Moatlhodi Motlhabane of Nxaraga has called for a KgomoKhumo operation in his area to curb cattle rustling, which continues to cause a great sorrow to the farming community.

He revealed in an interview that stock theft had reached alarming levels in the village and its catchment areas with cases recorded every week.

He said he believed that KgomoKhumo operation could make a difference as it had done in other area across the country.

Kgosi Motlhabane appreciated efforts by police officers and anti-stock theft committee but stressed that a bigger operation was needed to restore confidence in the farming community.

He cited a recent incident in which four boys aged between 14-15 years of Nxaraga were given four strokes each after stealing a cow and slaughtering it in the nearby bush.

Kgosi Motlhabane said the quartet, school drop outs sliced the carcass into biltong and sold them at alcohol outlets in the village at night.

The police, he said, acted on a tip-off and arrested them. He said the boys confessed to the offence and showed the police the place where they slaughtered the animal.  

He said their parents pleaded with tribal authority to apply corporal punishment and each were given four strokes while the owner of the cow demanded a P700 compensation from  each.

“This situation calls for action, most of the communities in rural areas survive through rearing of livestock and now they have lost hope because thieves are having a field day.

Our people have become destitute as thieves rob them off their animals as they please and this is frustrating,” he added.

Kgosi Motlhabane noted that the villagers were frustrated by law enforcement officer’s futile efforts to arrest the culprits, noting that in some instances where arrest were made such culprits were within a short space freed and seen roaming the streets.

Some villagers, he said had suspicions that some officers were conniving with criminal syndicates as the culprits continued on committing the same offence.  

Kgosi Motlhabane also appreciated efforts by Kgomo di a Tshaba anti-stock theft committee in Maun, which had been camping in the village to curb the problem.

He said their presence had put the situation under control but since they relocated to another area, thieves increased resumed their activities, adding that it seemed the perpetrators had inside information on the committee’s movements.

He was hopeful that KgomoKhumo operation would help arrest the situation as evidenced by reduction of stock theft in the areas that the operation was launched.

Kgosi Motlhabane said the operation bore fruits as culprits were caught red-handed and prosecuted. ENDs