A Waterpan farmer claims to have lost approximately R1 million after his farm was hit by stock thieves.
Simon Mathysen, a Greenhills resident who owns the IQ12 farm, was recently the victim of stock theft.
Mathysen explained that 46 heads of cattle, including two bulls, were stolen from his farm on 4 December, 2016. Immediately after learning of the theft, he opened a case at the Bekkersdal Police Station. He said officers from the station went out with him into other farm areas in Westonaria to search for the cattle, but to no avail.
He said thereafter the case was handed over to the Stock Theft Unit and is still under investigation. However, Mathysen said he believes he knows who the mastermind behind the recent thefts is – it’s a former employee.
Since the case was opened, Mathysen has been following the case closely himself and has learned that one of his neighbours was found in possession of 26 stolen cattle. He said the farmer could not give any explanation for why the cattle were there other than that his workers had brought them in. Subsequently, three of this farmer’s workers were arrested. They appeared in the Westonaria Magistrates’ Court on 28 December, and 5 and 6 January.
Mathysen is convinced a syndicate is at work in the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) and one of the places cattle are trafficked is on one of his neighbour’s farms.
“I think the cattle are stolen, taken to this farm and then loaded onto trucks to be taken away,” he said.
He further believes the syndicate is not at work in Randfontein as well, as one of his fellow farmers in Randfontein has lost 23 cows.
Mathysen claims that the evidence from his personal investigation into the matter points to his ex-employee. He also believes the worker has been sleeping under his nose on his neighbour’s farm. Mathysen said the only way forward is cooperation between farmers and police. He said more needs to be done regarding the policing of stock theft, especially regarding manpower.
“We plead with the police to deploy helicopters in the event of stock theft,” he said.
For now, Mathysen is still trying to trace his cattle and is creating awareness about stock theft.
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