The owner of a piggery on Old Heidelberg Road in Mapleton is heartbroken because 32 of his pigs died after being stabbed.
The Boksburg Advertiser spoke to Masande Patu during a recent visit to the piggery about the attack on January 28, during which 22 pigs were stabbed to death and 10 so severely injured they had to be euthanised.
Patu, who started the piggery three years ago, said he suspected something was amiss when one pig was stabbed a few days prior.
“I first thought the pig had been hurt by another pig. However, I then realised it was a stab wound. A few days later, four pigs went missing.”
The following morning, he received a call from a worker who said he urgently needed to see what had happened at the piggery.
“When I arrived, I immediately saw nine dead pigs, then even more as we walked. There was even more carnage in the stalls. It was a disaster,” he said.
They contacted the police and the SPCA.
Pabu is saddened about what happened.
“I name all my pigs; they even come to me when I call them. It’s difficult to say what happened or if it had something to do with rituals. However, I believe this was the work of more than one person because a knife and panga were used.
“There are cameras on the opposite side of the road that hopefully captured something. We’re now cleaning up around the area so criminals don’t have hiding spots.”
Pubu said the incident left a big dent in his pocket.
“A pig of three months old is worth between R1 500 and R2 000.”
Furthermore, he said he had received no communication from the police regarding the case.
“I received an SMS with the case number. However, not even 24 hours later, I received an SMS informing me that the case had been closed. The crime in the area is bad. Do we really have police in our country to protect us? If this person killed pigs, he will become a serial killer.”
Patu said this was the second time the police had failed him.
“They also failed me when boys broke into my car in 2020. I caught one of them wearing my jacket. I handed him to the police but was never asked to testify in court, and about two years later, I received an SMS that the case was closed.”
Dawn Park SAPS spokesperson Nkemeleng Mabula said the matter was not closed and that the police are investigating a case of animal cruelty.
Also Read: WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: Over 20 piglets stabbed at informal piggery in Mapleton
