The Newcastle South African Police Service (SAPS) Stock Theft Task Team recovered more than R270 000 worth of livestock over nine days. This came thanks to intelligence operations that began in the first week of July in the Normandien area in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the Newcastle police, the task team responded to information about a suspect believed to be involved in the theft of two horses valued at R40 000 in Normandien on 1 July. They were able to apprehend the suspect and recovered the stolen horses.
In another operation in the same area, the team apprehended another suspect, recovering 16 sheep to the value of R30 000. The team also reclaimed three unidentified cattle near Waterval Correctional Services in the Utrecht area on 3 July, believed to be valued at around R40 000.
The branded skin, head and carcass of a stolen red Bonsmara ox worth R18 000 was also recovered. In Madadeni, the task team received reports of 10 cattle valued at R106 000 that had been stolen from a kraal. Nine of the cattle were discovered in a field in Osizweni. One ox was unaccounted for, and police were still investigating.
On 9 July, the task team arrested another suspect who allegedly stole 14 Nguni goats valued at R45 000. Meanwhile, Operation Mazibuye Inkomo Zam (‘Let my cows come back’) was conducted in the Joe Gqabi District in the Eastern Cape recently.
SAPS members from the stock theft and endangered species unit led a three-day operation with assistance from various stakeholders such as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
During the operation, 200 cattle were found in the bushes and taken to convenient spots for identification purposes, said Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli.
“Local farmers managed to identify some of their stock, and the rest were taken to municipal compounds.
“The operation was also extended to include residential areas, where a motorist was fined for transporting stock without a permit. A total of eight suspects were also arrested for contravening the Immigration Act,” Nkohli said.
In the Free State, crime intelligence members received information that was operationalised by the Odendaalsrus Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit and Welkom
Public Order Policing members, resulting in the arrest of a suspect and recovery of stolen cattle worth R280 000 at the end of June.
The livestock had been stolen from a farm in Hennenman district in the Free State, and the farmer had registered a case of stock theft.
The acting district police commissioner of Lejweleputswa, Brigadier Mzondi Mojafi, lauded residents for giving information to the SAPS and commended the swift reaction by officers from various units that led to the arrests and the seizure of stolen livestock.
