Over 900 cattle stolen in Masvingo in seven months

FARMERS in Masvingo province have lost more than 900 cattle to rustlers in the first seven months of the year, police have confirmed.

Last year, farmers in the province lost 1 589 cattle. Speaking during the Traditional Leaders Day commemorations at the 4 Infantry Brigade in Masvingo last week, Masvingo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa appealed to chiefs to educate their subjects on the importance of cattle branding to reduce cases of stock theft in their areas.

He said cattle were the major targets of rustlers who sometimes take the animals to neighbouring Mozambique where it is difficult to recover them if they are not branded.

“We appeal to our chiefs in Masvingo to help in educating their subjects about the importance of cattle branding to curb cases of stock theft. From January to July, we have received 499 cases of stock theft. In these cases, 962 cattle have been stolen,” said Asst Insp Dehwa.

“We expect all cattle to be branded. As police we encourage farmers to utilise branding exercises that we conduct almost every quarter in the districts. It only costs $2 to have a personalised branding on your animal.”

He said the most incidents were reported in Mwenezi and Chiredzi where farmers own large herds of cattle and do not pen their animals. Asst Insp Dehwa said chiefs must help in setting up village anti-stock theft committees to curb cases of stock theft.

“Most of these cases were reported in Mwenezi and Chiredzi districts where most farmers have a tendency of not penning their animals. Animals are only fetched when owners want to slaughter a beast and that gives room to rustlers.

“We appeal to all chiefs to embrace the concept of village anti-stock theft committees as these structures help in curbing cases of stock theft. Let us work together to reduce or eradicate this vice as cattle are a symbol of wealth for our farmers.

“Chiefs should also not allow the self styled traditional healers, called tsikamutandas, as they have deprived villagers of their cattle over fake rituals. We ask chiefs not to tolerate these people,” he said.

The fourth edition of Traditional Leaders Day was mooted by the Zimbabwe National Army as a way of fostering the relationship between the army and chiefs.