Dube police host progress report meeting on stock theft
"We have not experienced a lot of stock theft cases since the special units arrival."
Dube police held a meeting with farmers around Mmakaunyana (Winterveld) on Wednesday to give them a progress report regarding the problem of stock theft in the area.
Police spokesperson Thembi Nowathe said since their previous meeting with the farmers, a unit that specifically deals with stock theft has been allocated to the station.
“The farmers can now report these issues at the station instead of going to Cullinan to open cases on stock theft. Three police officers have been placed at the station to deal directly with this issue.”
In May, Gauteng police Provincial Commissioner Elias Mawela hosted a meeting where police and the local farming community including those in North West met to express their concerns about local food vendors as they believe their stolen livestock was being sold to them.
The farmers demanded a satellite police station in the area and a stock theft unit to deal with the problem.
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Nowathe said the unit arrived at the station in late June and have since seen a decline in stock theft cases.
“Things are much better. We have not experienced a lot of stock theft cases being reported to the station since their arrival. We are really satisfied with the unit.
“We used to refer farmers to Cullinan because it has a special unit that deals with stock theft there, but some of the farmers complained about how far they had to travel.”
Nowathe encouraged farmers in the area not to lose trust in the police and also to brand their livestock.
“This makes it easier for the unit to investigate such cases.”
The farmers were also encouraged to have their kraals closer to their homes and to check them frequently.
“We also encourage them to have the details of the people who look after their livestock because some of them do not even know where the people who work for them come from.”
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