A 54-year-old man was arrested and appeared in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court on charges of stock theft on Thursday, February 11.

Police officers from the Upper Tugela Borderline were patrolling the Tonyelani area at about 6pm and noticed a vehicle parked along the road, which struck them as suspicious.

“Members inspected the vehicle and noticed five goats inside. The driver was unable to produce the necessary documents to the police,” said police spokesperson Captain Charmaine Struwig.

After questioning the suspect, police ascertained that the goats were stolen from Lesotho and being brought to South Africa.

The man was arrested and charged. KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the Upper Tugela members for being vigilant at all times.

“Stock theft is a serious problem in this border post, we are encouraging our members to make sure that people who pass the boarder possess necessary documents for their livestock,” she said.