Police crack down on stock theft in Vhembe district

LIMPOPO – The ongoing battle against stock theft in Vhembe has yielded positive results with the recent arrest of three suspects involved in the theft of seven goats.

A 39-year-old man from Madimbo village in the Tshamutumbu policing area of Vhembe, was apprehended on September 6, after allegedly stealing, slaughtering, and selling the goats’ meat to two women from the same village.

The suspects appeared in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on September 9, facing charges of stock theft. The two women, Mbudzeni Mudzanani (31) and Martha Munyai (41), were each granted bail of R1 000.

The primary suspect, Never Ndou (39), was sentenced to 90 days in prison and ordered to pay a R3 000 fine.

The arrests followed a tip-off after the complainant reported his goats stolen from his kraal.

Authorities recovered six goat heads believed to be from the stolen livestock in a secluded area, and further investigation led to the discovery of the remaining slaughtered meat at the residences of the two women.

In response to the rising concern over stock theft, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe convened the Provincial Stock Theft Indaba at the Ngwako Ramathlodi Multi-purpose Centre in Seshego recently.

During the event, the deputy provincial commissioner for visible policing, Major General Jan Scheepers said it is important for farmers, local leaders, law enforcement and agriculture experts to work together.

This joint effort aims to develop strategies to combat the rising wave of stock theft, a critical concern for the police and affected communities.

Hadebe highlighted the significance of stock theft as more than just a crime, saying it represents a threat to livelihoods, heritage, and the way of life in agricultural communities.

She stressed the importance of awareness, education, and proactive measures in livestock protection.

“Each theft not only robs us of animals but undermines the hope and stability our agricultural communities work to preserve,” said Hadebe.

Brigadier Venitia Masingi called on the Department of Justice to reconsider granting bail to repeat offenders, and requested that municipalities establish pounds for recovered livestock, as the current reliance on private facilities has led to excessive costs for the state.

Masingi also stressed the need for brand-marking livestock, noting that unmarked animals, such as the recent case of nine unmarked cattle, make it difficult to return stolen animals to their rightful owners.