Stock theft crisis: Police struggle to return hundreds of unclaimed animals to owners

South African police are grappling with a mounting livestock crisis, with 328 animals unclaimed by their owners in the 2024-25 financial year alone — a dramatic increase from just two animals three years ago.

The figures were recently revealed by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu in response to parliamentary questions.

The crisis has escalated sharply over the past three years, with 82 livestock going unclaimed in 2023-24 compared to only two in 2022-23.

Currently, police facilities and private pounds across the country are housing 723 animals, with the majority—652 livestock—kept in private facilities while 71 remain in public pounds.

Rural safety strategy launched to combat stock theft

Mchunu outlined government’s comprehensive approach to addressing the problem when responding to questions from EFF MP Mothusi Kenneth Montwedi.

“Rural safety, including stock theft prevention, is a priority for the South African Police Service (Saps), and as part of this commitment, the multi-year Rural Safety Strategy was developed and approved in 2020,” Mchunu stated.

The strategy aims to enhance safety and security in rural areas while ensuring food security through an integrated policing approach.

Mchunu emphasised the collaborative nature of the initiative, explaining that it “encourages collaboration with various stakeholders, including government departments, such as the Departments of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.”

The police service has established multiple coordinating mechanisms to address the issue, including Rural Safety Priority Committees, which function as subcommittees of the Joint Operations and Intelligence Structures at national, provincial, district, and station levels.

According to Mchunu, a National Stock Theft Forum was also created in partnership with the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation to serve as a collaborative platform for addressing stock theft.

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Specialised units and training programmes deployed

To strengthen investigative capabilities, the Saps has established 93 Stock Theft and Endangered Species Units throughout all nine provinces.

Mchunu said specialised units are mandated to investigate all stock theft and endangered species-related cases.

“The ST&ESUs are resourced in terms of their physical and human resource needs. During the past three financial years, a total of 263 investigators were trained in the Stock Theft Investigators’ Learning Programme,” Mchunu stated.

The police service also developed a Stock Theft Prevention and Investigation Guideline in 2023-24 and conducted capacity-building sessions across all provinces, districts, and rural police stations to create awareness about prevention measures and investigation contributions.

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Provincial distribution reveals uneven impact

The current livestock holdings reveal significant provincial variations in the crisis.

North West province houses the largest number of animals in private pounds, with 349 livestock, while Eastern Cape has 211 animals in private facilities and 14 in public pounds.

Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Western Cape also maintain both public and private pound facilities, while Free State and KwaZulu-Natal report no livestock currently in custody.

The unclaimed animals for 2024-25 are concentrated primarily in the Eastern Cape with 225 livestock, the North West with 66 animals, and the Western Cape with 24.

Several provinces, including Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga, reported no unclaimed livestock for the current financial year.

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Key challenges hampering return efforts

Mchunu identified several critical obstacles preventing the successful return of livestock to their owners.

The primary challenge stems from community non-compliance with the Animal Identification Act of 2002.

“Failure by communities to comply with section 7 of the Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No. 6 of 2002), which requires all livestock, e.g. cattle, sheep, goats, etc., to be marked,” represents a significant barrier to identifying rightful owners.

Financial constraints also impede reunification efforts, particularly in cases where animals were impounded as strays and owners cannot afford the associated pound fees required for release.

Additionally, the death of impounded animals due to ill health further complicates the process and reduces the number of livestock available for return.

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Disposal procedures and legal framework

The management and disposal of seized or impounded livestock follows strict protocols outlined in the Saps National Instruction 8 of 2017 regarding Property and Exhibit Management.

Mchunu noted that the procedures are “outlined in detail in the Saps’ National Instruction 8 of 2017: Property and Exhibit Management,” specifically referencing paragraphs 18 and 19 covering livestock management and disposal of exhibits in police custody.

The minister indicated that detailed information about these procedures could be provided to parliamentary members upon request, suggesting the complexity and comprehensive nature of the protocols governing livestock handling.

Cross-border cooperation and technology integration

The police service has extended its anti-stock theft efforts beyond national borders through participation in Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation forums in border provinces and Southern African Development Community initiatives to address cross-border crime and stock theft.

Technology plays an increasingly important role in the strategy, with existing Operational Command Centres at national, provincial and district levels linked to private security industry capabilities through the Eyes and Ears Project.

Stock Theft Information Centres contribute to effective information flow and prevention efforts, particularly at the station level.

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