Cattle thieves leave Christmas in ruins

Ugie farmer Themba Pikini planned to slaughter a cow on Christmas Day to celebrate turning 76 this year.

After all, none of his other brothers had reached this age.

Instead he is left to nurse a broken heart, after his herd of 14 cattle was stolen on Sunday night.

“We woke up on Monday and all the cows were gone,” he said. “We trust that God will answer our prayers and the cattle will be found.”

Pikini is one of five farmers whose 57 cattle were stolen from one farm in the Ugie area.

He said they all kept their livestock on that farm.

“Our Christmas plans have been spoilt,” he added.

The elderly farmer had been buying and rearing livestock since he started working for a brick-manufacturing company in Cape Town and later in Johannesburg.

He said he wanted those responsible to be caught and thrown in jail.

Fellow farmer Moliva Ngwenze, 79, lost cows valued at R240,000. He was also planning to slaughter one to celebrate Christmas with his family.

“It's painful. Our lives have just been destroyed.  We are distraught but there is nothing we can do about it. Life has to go on and we have to soldier on.”

Ngwenze said stock theft was rife in Ugie. In another township not far away 28 cattle were recently stolen.

Sixteen were later found at the municipal pound in Tsolo. “The police are doing everything in their power to fight the scourge of stock theft,” said Ngwenze.

Pikini's nephew, Jongilizwae Pikini, 63, lost 12 cattle on Sunday night.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Moitheri Bojabotsheha was unable to provide information on whether a case had been opened at the time of going to print on Monday.

However, he promised to follow up on the matter.