A new dedicated task team formed to fight the scourge of stock theft and other crimes in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal has recovered stock and made arrests since it was established in October.
This is according to the Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for Crime Detection, Major General Vukani Mgobhozi, who doubles up as the Acting Provincial Commissioner for Policing, during the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Rural Safety Summit which is under way at the Cecil Emmett Hall in Vryheid.
In a statement on Thursday, Mgobhozi said a rise in cases of theft of livestock in the Zululand District prompted the provincial police management to establish the task team.
Mgobhozi said that the Zululand District was the third most affected District with regards to stock theft, with uThukela and uMgungundlovu districts in position one and two respectively.
He said the Harry Gwala and Amajuba districts complete the top five most affected districts with stock theft.
The top five police stations, which are most affected by stock theft are Impendle, Intsikeni, Ntabamhlophe, Taylors Halt and Utrecht.
“Since its establishment in October 2023, the team has recovered stolen livestock amounting to R189 000, including 14 cattle and a fresh carcass which was suspected to be headed for a black market. Four people have been arrested thus far for theft of livestock,” said police.
In addition, police said three were arrested for possession of suspected stolen stock and one was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The team also arrested 23 people for possession of drugs.
Meanwhile, AfriForum representative Eugene van Aswegen, who also spoke at the summit, said farmers and their crops or produce should be protected in different ways.
He said food security starts when a farmer fences his land to protect the food basket of the country.
“The continuous sabotage and theft of fences is a threat to food and definitely contributes to damaged crops,” he said.
Van Aswegen added that stray animals endanger people's lives on the road.
“The stray stock, and I want to emphasise cattle, goats, pigs, geese and even chickens, cause damages to lands. It was recently brought to my attention that plus minus 70 free range chickens damaged maize lands to the value of R34 000,” he said.
The Mercury