Free State farmers, cops join up to fight livestock theft

Free State MEC for community safety, roads and transport Jabu Mbalula has welcomed suggestions from the department of agriculture on advancing rural safety, bridging legislative gaps, strengthening border road infrastructure and combating stock theft using private investigators.

Free State Agriculture (FSA), a voluntary membership organisation for commercial farmers in the province, has a traceability system called Animal identity, Movement and Safety (Aims) which uses technology to monitor and track livestock.

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FSA investigators’ coordinator Peet Swanepoel said they collaborate with the police.

“The department encourages working relationships with all rural safety role players, with a view to fighting all crimes posing a threat to rural communities.” Swanepoel said the initiative started last year in July.

Trained investigators reported cases to the South African Police Service (Saps) stock theft unit (STU) and endangered species unit.

“The stock theft unit has a shortage of manpower, vehicles and equipment to investigate cases reported properly,” he said.

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“Syndicates are involved in the theft of livestock and in some instances they have firearms,” he added.

Since this intervention, 107 cases and dockets have been opened.

“In the 107 cases, 2 805 cattle and sheep to the value of R15.5 million were stolen, of which 2 142 cattle and sheep to the value of R11.2 million were recovered,” Swanepoel said.

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Safety risk analyst Dr Jane Buys said that every one of the 104 police stations in the Free State province needed to visit the farms, do profiling, coordinate all the white and blue light patrols and do this on a weekly basis with the farming community.

Hillary Mophethe, director of corporate communication at community safety, said the department would raise it with Saps.

The department is advocating for a cross-border crime prevention forum to address transnational crimes.

Buys said there is a loophole in the Stock Theft Act which makes it easy for people to get away with livestock theft.