In all a total of 96 stolen livestock were recovered in northern KZN. According to KZN SAPS spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane, in the first police operation eight cattle and one calf were recovered in the Dannhauser area, four cattle were recovered in the Dundee area, two were recovered in the Hattingspruit area, three cattle were recovered in the Helpmekaar area, three goats were recovered in the Wasbank area, and 51 pigs and 11 cattle were recovered in the Glencoe area.
“Six suspects were charged with the theft of [live]stock and one suspect was arrested for possession of dagga, bringing the total to seven,” said Zwane in a statement. In addition 25 suspects were arrested for failing to comply with the Animal Identification Act.
In a second police operation, the Dundee Crime Intelligence Unit, the Nquthu Stock Theft Unit, and Kingsley SAPS tracked down and arrested two stock theft suspects who were in possession of 11 sheep believed to have been stolen from a farm in the Kingsley area.
A third operation conducted jointly by the Newcastle Stock Theft Unit and the Osizweni Crime Prevention Association netted three suspected stock thieves who were in possession of two sheep believed to have been stolen from the Madadeni area.
“We appeal to the community that they must not buy stolen livestock, and those who buy them will be arrested. [The] community must assist the police in fighting crime by reporting all those who are involved in crime,” said KZN provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, in a statement.
Ngobeni urged all livestock owners to have their animals marked as per the Animal Identification Act so that stolen and recovered livestock could be speedily returned to them by police.