Stock thieves active in the Merafong area

Two more incidents of stock theft have been reported in the Merafong area in the past week. On 24 June, the shepherd on plot 20 in Khutsong South’s Ext. 4 opened the kraal as usual at about 09:00 to let the goats out to graze at a nearby area around the plots. When he returned at around 16:00, he found they were not there. He looked around the plot but the goats were nowhere to be found. Mr Mosolotsane, the owner of the stock, reported to the police that 9 brown and white goats to the value of R14 000 were stolen. There have been no arrests yet. On the same day, 19 sheep and 32 goats were stolen from Plot 21. The complainant, Mr Selani from Khutsong Ext. 2 alleges that he opened the kraal for his sheep and goats at the same time. He says they normally go off grazing on their own and return later as the shepherd looks after the cattle, which graze far from the kraal. In the afternoon, the sheep and goats did not return to the kraal as normal, and he went to look for them, without success. According to the complainant, they were all marked with a cut on the tips of both ears. The estimated cost of the sheep is R1 800 each and the goats cost R1 600 each. There were no witnesses and no arrests. The latest incidents of stock theft follow
a number of similar cases that the Herald has reported on in the past few weeks and local farmers in the Merafong
area are urged to be vigilant and safeguard their livestock.