That’s according to Captain Jan Greyling, head of the South African Police Service (SAPS) stock theft unit in Cradock. Speaking at the AGM of the Eastern Cape Red Meat Producers Association (ECRPO), he said that, in December alone, at least 90 arrests were made in these areas. “Stock theft is a huge crisis in this region, mainly because the sentences handed down to stock thieves by the courts do not act as a deterrent,” he said.
“Despite the positive co-operation we get from the farming community, we battle to bring the situation under control. There are always stock thieves coming from other areas of the country to replace those that get arrested and farmers are hesitant to let their stock graze in camps near roads,” said Greyling. According to ECRPO chairperson Dr Pieter Prinsloo, three meetings are held annually between the Stock Theft Forum, SAPS, provincial government and other role players to bring the challenges that farmers face on a daily basis to their attention.
“Good relations have been formed with all those concerned, and I believe that good progress has been made in the battle against stock theft, but this momentum must be applied positively,” said Prinsloo. He reiterated that red meat production was the province’s largest industry and was acknowledged as key to the development of the Eastern Cape’s economy – and a combined approach for the development of the industry was crucial.
