DURBAN - ALTHOUGH the KwaZulu-Natal police have recently made breakthroughs in stock theft cases, the National Livestock Theft Prevention Forum is concerned that a number of incidents are being under-reported.
In the most recent success for the police, provincial police spokesperson Nqobile Gwala said five calves were recovered from a farm in Dannhauser.
In a separate incident earlier this month, police spokesperson Thembeka Mbele said a woman had reported that a close relative had stolen cattle from her in Utrecht. The Amajuba Anti-Stock Theft Unit responded to the incident and the cattle were recovered and a suspect arrested.
Last month, cattle worth more than R1 million was recovered in Vryheid.
Chairperson of the National Livestock Theft Prevention Forum, Willie Clack, said livestock served a multi purpose within communal and commercial systems of farming and was the economic backbone within rural areas.
“Commercial livestock theft directly affects future economic, agricultural activities and threatens the food security of the South African population.
“Where previously people might have stolen predominantly for the pot, lately there are groups that have latched onto stock theft as a way of enriching themselves,” he said.
Clack said the number of cases not reported to the police was increasing at an alarming rate and resulted in a skewed picture of the rate of livestock theft in South Africa.
He said it was important the non-reporting of the crime was put into perspective.
Clack added that economically the crime affected the business enterprise of every livestock producer, irrespective of whether the producer was a commercial farmer or small-scale farmer, and was the most significant obstacle in sustainable livestock production and food security.
“The small-scale agriculturalists are even more severely affected by livestock theft than commercial farmers, based on the economies of scale. It has been found that 85% of victims of all reported livestock theft in the country are either non-VAT registered and/or communal farmers.”
Head of Kwanalu’s Security Desk, Freddie van Tonder, said stock theft placed an overwhelming burden on commercial and emerging farmers, which negatively affected the entire agricultural economy.
“Kwanalu regards stock theft as a priority crime, and takes a proactive stance in curbing the prevalence of stock theft by regularly engaging with livestock owners (commercial and emerging) on relevant legislation and preventative measures, as well as with the SAPS, government organisations, and other stakeholders.”
THE MERCURY