Desperately under-resourced cops warn farmers of festive stock theft spree

Livestock owners have been urged by AgriSA to secure their animals as thieves gear up for the Christmas season.

Under-resourced stock theft police have few working vehicles.

Thousands of animals, regarded as business capital and pensions by small-scale owners, are being plundered, especially in King William’s Town, Mthatha and Buffalo City.

A police source said the Bhisho police stock theft unit, which works with 14 police stations, has only two working vehicles out of 13 commissioned to them.

The source said 5000 sheep had been stolen from around King William’s Town this year alone.

One household lost 68 sheep. Although 12 were recovered, it left a devastating loss of 56.

Last month the national police crime statistics revealed that a massive 11832 animals were reported stolen in the Eastern Cape from April 2015 to March this year.

The police source said the Bhisho stock theft officers were reduced to two old vehicles that were allocated in 2010.

“Yet we must deliver service to rural farming areas of Frankfort, Ndevana, Punzana, Cwecweni, Bolo, Stutterheim and Komga. We are not going to win this fight if we don’t have resources,” said the source.

Meat from the stolen livestock ends up in hawkers’ stands in Mdantsane, Duncan Village other informal meat trading areas.

AgriSA reported this week that stock theft in the Eastern Cape had increased by 3.7% in 2017-18.

AgriSA’s Willie Clark said the national stock theft prevention forum had requested that all interest groups involved in the red meat industry become active in the battle to prevent stock theft.

“Nationally, livestock theft cases have increased by 8.8%. Although one would consider the rise dramatic, the reasons are not known.

“It may be due to a real increase or to improved reporting of cases by victims.” Clark said five police stations in the province had received over 150 cases of stock theft this year. “All livestock owners should register a unique mark in their name and apply it to all livestock in their possession in the prescribed manner as described in the Animal Identification Act.

“All livestock buyers, auctioneers, feed-lots and abattoirs should confirm livestock ownership and refuse to take ownership of livestock that is not marked, or where the necessary documents of identification and stock removal certificates are not supplied,” Clark said.

The African Farmers Association of South Africa could not be reached for comment.

A subsistence farmer, Khangelwa Mbendeni from Ngqwele Location in Dimbaza, said 15 sheep were stolen from her kraal last month.

“Of that number, only five were recovered. Our livestock are stolen every day here, it has become a norm. Most times these criminals are never caught.”

Provincial police spokeswoman Colonel Sibongile Soci said police vehicles were used on a 24-hour basis and were “from time to time” taken to the garage for “mechanical failure and/or a service.

“That is the case for King William’s Town Stock Theft Unit. It is, however, not the policy of the SAPS to divulge operational information, therefore we are unable to discuss the numbers,” said Soci.

She said cattle skulls had been found in Dimbaza.

“Two cattle skulls were found in Dimbaza, and four suspects arrested for theft of sheep were also linked to the recovered skulls.

“However, the investigation is ongoing in the matter.”