Stock theft in South Africa has amounted to R327,6-million in the past year, the National Stock Theft Forum has said.
"At the moment, stock theft is hampering the profitability of the stock farmers and it is also interfering with the government's land reform process as well as the empowering of the emerging farmers," the forum said in a statement on Monday.
"For each stock theft incident at a commercial farm, three similar incidents take place amongst emerging farmers.
"What makes it worse, is that many emerging farmers suffer a total loss of stock - kraals are literally emptied."
The forum said 62 358 cattle, worth R467,6-million were stolen between April 2006 and March this year. Of these, only 27 172 animals were recovered, resulting in a loss of R263,9-million.
There were also 60 967 sheep lost at a cost of R45,7-million and 24 075 goats, at a cost of R18-million.
"Stock theft has become a business and there are clear indications of syndicate involvement.
"The days of a sizeable portion of stock theft being ascribed to pot slaughtering are long gone by.
"Criminals syndicates are involved (on) a large scale."
In KwaZulu-Natal, 7 500 cases of stock theft were reported, 850 of which went to court, and 326 of which were successfully prosecuted.
"This indicates a success figure of 4,1 percent. This is probably an indication of the situation in other provinces as well," the forum said.
The low success rate meant producers no longer reported stock theft. "Farmers have lost their trust in the (SA Police Service) and the criminal justice system."
The forum has recommended that police capacity problems be dealt with, stock theft police and prosecutors be permanently trained and retrained, and police be given incentives for their work "in inaccessible areas under very difficult working conditions".
It has suggested the creation of mobile reaction units available at short notice for specific operations, and has called for the finalisation of the Pounds Act.
It has further advised that legislation be amended to create heavier sentences and the process of bail and parole for stock thieves be reviewed.
The forum said the areas worst affected by stock theft were Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape; the Eastern Highveld, in Mpumalanga; Uthukela, KwaZulu-Natal; the Eastern Free State; Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal; Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal, Marico, North West; and the bushveld in Limpopo.
Stock theft was not only destroying high potential genetic material, but was threatening the country's food security, making its red meat industry internationally uncompetitive and negatively impacting the wool industry.
Solving the problem would make "a huge contribution" to the country's self-sufficiency, it said. - Sapa