20 Dec 2023

A total of 9 747 cases of stock theft were reported in the past five years from 2019 to 2023.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi said 1 856 cases were reported in 2019, while 1 902 cases were for 2020, and 1 625 cases were reported in 2021. In 2022 and 2023, the police registered 2 305 and 2 059 cases respectively.

Minister Mmusi further explained that 33 311 livestock was involved in the cases with 8 285 livestock registered in 2022. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, livestock involved in the cases was 5 819, 6 869 and 6 555 respectively.

“Out of the 33 311 livestock stolen, 14 543 were recovered and 6 346 suspects were arrested,” he informed Parliament.

He noted that of those arrested, 799 were granted bail by different courts while 1 430 accused were brought before the courts and convicted.

He also said for the past five years, three minors, aged between 15 and 16 years were arrested for stock theft and their cases were investigated like any other case where a minor is a suspect. “This includes involving social welfare officers as well as parents of suspected minors,” he said.

Mr Mmusi said in the majority of cases, suspects were granted bail as soon as investigations had been completed and when it had been determined that they would not interfere with investigations and were not a flight risk.

He said as a measure to fight stock theft, the ministry had in addition allocated 150 manpower and 53 vehicles to the Anti Stock Theft Branch. The minister also said in the 1 000 recruit constables undergoing training, an additional 200 officers would be deployed to the Anti-Stock Theft Branch upon completion of training.

He said alongside periodic operations such as KgomoKhumo, resuscitation of farmers' committees and inspections of butcheries were some of the interventions that were bearing fruits.

Serowe North Member of Parliament, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe had asked the minister to state statistics on the cases of stock theft in the past five years and the number of livestock recovered.

He also wanted to know the number of suspects arrested and minors involved. Ends