This follows the arrest of two men for their suspected involvement in stock theft on Thursday.

On Thursday, at around 01:00, members from the task team operationalised intelligence information.

A homestead in Blackhill was searched, where a 37-year-old man was found in possession of nine sheep. The suspect alleged that he exchanged his two horses for the sheep.

Police followed up on the information and were led to a homestead in Mjikelweni, where they interviewed a 21-year-old man who denied knowledge of such an exchange.

The police found the second man in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He was charged for being in possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The 37-year-old man was charged for being in possession of suspected stolen property. A firearm with no serial number was confiscated and the sheep were taken to the nearest municipal pound for investigation.

Both suspects are due to appear in the Qumbu Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

OR Tambo District Commissioner, Major General Norman Modishana, has applauded the task team for their excellent work in fighting stock theft in the district.

“We urge farmers, especially in areas that are known as hotspot areas to work closely with the Task Team,” Modishana said.

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Strategy and Resources

The SAPS confirmed that rural safety, with a specific focus on stock theft prevention, remains a top priority. The cornerstone of their efforts is the Rural Safety Strategy, implemented in 2020. This multi-year plan aims to bolster safety in rural areas through integrated policing and collaboration with stakeholders such as the Departments of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, and organised farming bodies.

Key interventions under the strategy include:

• Establishing Rural Safety Priority Committees at all levels of government.

• Partnering with the National Stock Theft Forum and Stock Theft Information Centres (STICs).

• Linking SAPS operations to private security networks through the Eyes and Ears (E2) project.

• Engaging in cross-border initiatives under SARPCCO and SADC frameworks.

To bolster investigative capacity, SAPS developed a Stock Theft Prevention and Investigation Guideline in 2023/24 and conducted nationwide training. A total of 263 investigators have completed the Stock Theft Investigators’ Learning Programme. Specialised Stock Theft and Endangered Species Units (ST&ESUs) have been established in all nine provinces, with 93 units operational nationally.

Livestock in Pounds

The SAPS provided figures on livestock currently impounded:

• Public pounds: 71 animals

• Private pounds: 652 animals

The Eastern Cape and North West provinces account for the majority of livestock held in private facilities, with 211 and 349 animals respectively.

Livestock Not Returned to Owners

Data over the past three financial years shows a sharp rise in livestock not returned to owners:

• 2022/23: 2 animals

• 2023/24: 82 animals (many forfeited to the state)

• 2024/25: 328 animals

The Eastern Cape alone reported 225 unreturned animals this year, while North West saw 66 cases.

Challenges and Disposal Procedures

Three primary challenges hinder the return of livestock:

1. Non-compliance with the Animal Identification Act, which mandates livestock marking.

2. Owners’ inability to pay pound-related fees.

3. Animal deaths due to illness while impounded.

Disposal of unclaimed or seized livestock is managed according to the SAPS National Instruction 8 of 2017: Property and Exhibit Management, particularly sections addressing livestock and the disposal of exhibits. These procedures include proper documentation, legal processes, and potential forfeiture to the state.

While the SAPS has outlined a structured and multi-agency approach to stock theft, the growing number of unreturned animals signals ongoing challenges in enforcement, compliance, and rural safety logistics. The issue remains a critical point of concern for both food security and economic stability in South Africa’s agricultural regions.

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The meeting began with a recognition of the pressing concerns raised by the public and various stakeholders in the agricultural sector regarding rural crime. Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, emphasised the importance of collaboration between law enforcement and farming communities. “The safety of our farmers is not just a rural issue; it is a national issue. We are all interconnected, and the damage caused by stock theft and farm attacks extends far beyond individual families. It impacts food security, jobs, and the economy as a whole,” Steenhuisen remarked, stressing the need for a united front across government and industry sectors.

Steenhuisen also acknowledged the role of private security within the agricultural sector, suggesting that the resources from organised agriculture, such as surveillance systems and farm watch networks, could be better integrated with police efforts. “We have extensive networks within the agricultural sector that could significantly help reduce crime if properly aligned with police operations. What we need is a joint, coordinated approach,” he explained.

On the other hand, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu reinforced the importance of a comprehensive response to rural crime. “We must understand that rural crime is not solely the responsibility of one sector. It requires a whole-of-society approach. We need the cooperation of local law enforcement, agricultural bodies, and the communities themselves,” Mchunu stated. He acknowledged the challenges posed by the shortage of resources within rural police stations, particularly in terms of vehicles and equipment. “We are actively working to address these limitations, collaborating with our supply chain partners to ensure that our officers have the necessary resources to respond effectively,” he added.

Stock Theft and Rural Crime

A central theme of the discussion was the ongoing issue of stock theft, which remains a significant problem for farmers across the country. Ministers and committee members expressed concern over the lack of resources to tackle these crimes, particularly in the face of South Africa’s large rural areas and poor road infrastructure. Minister Steenhuisen highlighted that smaller-scale farmers, especially in regions like the Free State and Northern Cape, are being disproportionately affected.

“In some parts of the country, farmers are losing hundreds of livestock a day. It’s not just a financial setback – it’s a personal one. When small-scale farmers are targeted, it not only affects their livelihood but compromises our country’s food security,” Steenhuisen noted.

The scale of stock theft is staggering, with reported losses running into billions of rands annually. To address this issue, the ministers discussed the potential for improving animal identification systems to combat theft and streamline enforcement. Minister Steenhuisen confirmed that discussions are ongoing to introduce a national animal tracing system, which could significantly help reduce stock theft. “Traceability is key. We need a national animal identification system that works across provinces and borders. This would be a vital tool in tackling stock theft, and we’re working to make it both cost-effective and efficient,” he said.

Police and Community Collaboration

A significant portion of the conversation focused on how the police could better engage with rural communities to both respond more effectively to crime and to prevent it in the first place. Minister Mchunu emphasised the importance of community policing, particularly in rural areas where law enforcement resources are often spread thin. “We must recognise the value of community policing in rural areas. It’s not just about having police officers on the ground; it’s about empowering the communities to play an active role in their own safety,” he remarked.

Committee members agreed that strengthening the relationship between the police and local farm watches, neighbourhood security groups, and rural safety coordinators is crucial for preventing and responding to rural crime. However, concerns were raised about the perceived lack of coordination between the police and these local security groups. Minister Mchunu acknowledged this issue, stating, “We need to ensure there is proper communication and collaboration between private security and police units, especially when it comes to rural safety.”

Improving Infrastructure and Resources

Infrastructure and resource shortages were major concerns throughout the meeting, with committee members highlighting that inadequate road conditions and a shortage of vehicles significantly hindered the ability of police stations in rural areas to respond effectively to crime. Minister Mchunu reassured the committee that the Department of Police is addressing these issues. “We understand that roads in rural areas are often impassable, and this presents a real challenge. However, we are committed to ensuring that our vehicles are well-maintained and ready to serve these communities,” he said.

Additionally, there was a call for enhanced crime intelligence, particularly in relation to the syndicates involved in stock theft. “Stock theft is often part of a larger syndicated operation, and we need to adopt an intelligence-led approach to combat this,” Minister Mchunu stated.

A Holistic Approach to Rural Safety

The meeting concluded with a consensus that rural safety must be addressed holistically, taking into account not only farm attacks and stock theft but also the broader socio-economic factors that contribute to violence in rural areas. Minister Mchunu noted that land rights, security of tenure, and rural development should form part of any comprehensive rural safety strategy. “We need a strategy that addresses not only crime but the underlying causes of violence in rural areas, such as unemployment, poverty, and land disputes. These issues often fuel conflict in these communities,” he said.

While most participants agreed on the need for a unified approach, some committee members raised concerns that the focus on farm attacks could overshadow the broader issue of violence against women and children, which is also a significant problem across the country. Several members emphasised that all forms of crime should be treated equally, regardless of whether the victim is a farmer, a farm worker, or a member of a rural community.

In closing, both Ministers Steenhuisen and Mchunu reaffirmed their commitment to tackling the issues raised during the meeting. They emphasised that the government is working to develop a comprehensive rural safety strategy that addresses the concerns of farmers, law enforcement, and rural communities at large.

Minister Steenhuisen concluded by stating, “This is not just about protecting farmers. It’s about ensuring the safety of everyone living in rural South Africa. We must work together to make our rural areas safer for all.”

Minister Mchunu echoed these remarks, saying, “Collaboration, community involvement, and proper resource allocation are key. Together, we can address these challenges and make a meaningful difference in rural safety.”

The joint committee will reconvene next week to finalise and adopt a report based on the discussions, with the aim of formulating clear recommendations to improve rural safety and bolster police capacity in rural areas.

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Statistics provided by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu for 2023 showed Democratic Alliance (DA) Northern Cape public representative Lisa Schickerling lived in a province with the lowest number of prosecutions/convictions for stock theft last year.

Her home province recorded 368 stock theft arrests which resulted in 155 prosecutions/convictions putting it fourth arrest-wise.

At the top end of the scale was Limpopo where policemen and women attached to stock theft and endangered species units arrested 837 suspects. These were turned into a 42% successful prosecution/conviction rate, with 351 successful prosecutions in 2023.

The second highest stock theft arrest rate of 509 was recorded in the Eastern Cape with 148 successful prosecutions/convictions last year. KwaZulu-Natal with 401 arrests and 109 prosecutions/convictions was third, followed by Schickerling’s home province.

Western Cape (252 arrests and 101 prosecutions/convictions) rated fifth with Gauteng (184/56) and Free State (178 and 58) sixth followed by North West (107/24) and Mpumalanga (103/39).

All told police arrested 2 939 stock theft suspects in 2023 with 1 041 prosecutions/convictions.

The SA Police Service has 94 stock and endangered species units nationally. According to Mchunu they are geographically positioned in all nine provinces. Part of their mandate is the establishment of stock theft information centres (STICs) and provincial forums. These include representative agricultural organisations such as African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA), the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU), the National African Farmers’ Union (NAFU), Agriculture South Africa (AgriSA) and others. There is also a National Stock Theft Forum (NSTF) which meets regularly on a provincial basis with emerging threats always on the agenda.

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This crime has been causing emerging rural farmers to lose millions of rands.

Mabuyane made these comments during the launch of the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) in Tsolo on Tuesday.

The Premier was joined by the Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nonkqubela Pieters and Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC, Xolile Nqatha.

LITS is a technology-based ear tag device that the government is distributing to 120 cattle farming enterprises, benefiting 30 000 cattle across the province.

Mabuyane reported that more than 18 000 animals, valued at over R58 million, have been stolen in the province recently.

“You can imagine what that is doing to the economy. When you talk about the province being the home of livestock, you are talking about subsistence rural farmers. We have a problem of livestock theft, and it has been with us for some time now. We are trying to tackle that,” Mabuyane said.

He believes the electronic ear tag device will also ensure that animals are not only branded but their origins would be traced.

“We are trying to introduce a more organised and commercial way of handling these animals. This is part of us trying to fight and curb livestock theft. We are sending a message to all the thieves out there that we will go after you in a better and more organised manner. You cannot sleep today and wake up with a kraal full of cows that you can’t account for,” he stressed, adding that the system will be rolled out across the province.

The Premier stated that government wants to see all animal populations being branded properly and given the ear tag to make sure they are monitored better.

Pieters said LITS will assist farmers in Tsolo, which is one of the municipalities with a high rate of stock theft and assist the police to identify the rightful owner of the cattle. 

“Even if you sell the animal to somebody else, you will be able to trace the origin. If there are diseases, you can trace the origin of the cow. Farmers are going to be trained to keep records of their cattle to make sure that if it was sick, when was it sick, what type of medication has been used, how many times have you dipped your herd of cattle,” Pieters explained.

Nqatha said the launch adds the instruments needed in the fight against crime and government will ensure that all those who are responsible are held accountable.

Arrests

“Already we have been able to recover the stolen livestock, we have already been able to effect arrests. One of the things we were able to do was to assess our stock theft unit and its location between Qumbu and Sulenkama so that the capacity of the police is located nearer to the hotspot to facilitate our responsiveness,” said Nqatha.

According to the MEC, the community should work with the police to fight against stock theft, adding that animal branding and ear tagging will assist in this collaboration.

One of the farmers whose animals were ear-tagged and branded, Sabatha Mnjunju said he hoped the system would be able to track livestock and they would be easily identified when stolen.

Another farmer, Mzimeli Yelo, who even though was sceptical about the LITS, welcomed the system.

“It will help us but the chances of it helping are small because ear tags can be removed. Thieves know how to remove them. But where I think it can help is if you lose animals today when they had not succeeded in removing the tags and you report it on time, it can help trace the animals that way,” said Yelo.

Collaboration and training

According to the province, all the ear-tagged animals and the identities of their owners are registered into a central database where animal movement is recorded to make it easy to trace the animal back to the owner.

DRDAR is implementing this national policy through collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). 

Currently, the department trained and registered more than 250 veterinarians, scientists, animal health technicians and extension advisors to lead the implementation of the system. 

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