Progress in anti-stock theft campaign
POLICE in Bulawayo have reported success in their campaign against stock theft which has resulted in a 50 percent reduction in cases since the initiative began in January.
The police have recovered over 40 cattle in total, including 20 from a local feedlot last Friday.
They also identified 100 goats from Binga with fraudulent documentation at Acacia Abattoir in Douglasdale.
Additionally, a vehicle transporting 16 pigs was intercepted within the city limits on Saturday, further demonstrating the campaign’s effectiveness.
While praising small-scale farmers for their valuable contributions, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, criticised feedlot owners for not adhering to legal procedures for purchasing cattle.
He also appealed to individuals not to treat livestock transactions as casual exchanges, with each deal requiring official police sanctioning.
Insp Ncube put emphasis on their unwavering commitment to eradicating crime, particularly focusing on dismantling cattle rustling networks.
“Since the launch of the campaign, our statistics show that there has been a drop in cases of stock theft,” Insp Ncube remarked.
Four individuals have also been arrested on suspicion of involvement in rustling.
The suspects are currently aiding the police with investigations, providing valuable information to help dismantle the larger syndicates responsible for these crimes.
“We are hot on their trail and our efforts are proving fruitful. We impounded five vehicles that were loaded with the carcasses of cattle. In February we arrested two men from Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo after they were intercepted for rustling a herd of 19 cattle. The two were spotted by an informant driving a truck loaded with the cattle along Esigodini Road. On Friday we recovered 20 cattle at a feedlot and that also accounts to our commitment to preventing stock theft,” he said. He praised the collaborative efforts between the police and community, highlighting the contributions of small-scale farmers.
He said their active involvement and cooperation have been instrumental in the ongoing battle against stock theft, significantly aiding in the campaign’s success.
“So far we have closed the gap by cordoning routes used by rustlers to enter the city without detection. We are getting reports from our outposts in the outskirts of Bulawayo that they discovered cow hides and dried meat in some bushy areas. This is as a result of our efforts to clip this crime. They have no way of entering the city and that is why they abandon the meat. Some cattle are even offloaded in the middle of nowhere because criminals are finding it tough to enter the city.
“Our enemies now are feedlot owners who are not complying with lawful procedures of buying cattle. They deal with unscrupulous cattle sellers, who are obviously rustlers. We cannot continue to have such lawlessness in our city as it sets a wrong image on our beautiful city,” said Insp Ncube.
In light of the cattle recovered at a feedlot owned by a prominent local farmer, Insp Ncube indicated that steps are being taken to investigate the matter thoroughly. The owner, associated with well-known establishments, Nyama4U and Blue Bulls Butchery, will be questioned to ascertain the origins of the cattle and ensure all livestock transactions comply with legal standards.
“The paperwork is shoddy and we have engaged him on several occasions. He knows very well what the paperwork entails, but he chooses to play coy. This then raises suspicion that the feedlot has been receiving stolen cattle over a long period of time. We want farmers that are missing cattle to come and identify their cattle at the feedlot.
“On the case of the 100 goats, we are informed that there is a man who was selling groceries and villagers would in turn pay for groceries in barter trade. This is how there is such a big number of goats coming from one region,” said Insp Ncube. He appealed to individuals acquiring livestock through barter trade or other means to ensure each transaction is officially sanctioned by the police prior to the transportation of the animals to urban slaughterhouses.
He clarified that livestock transactions require careful legal scrutiny and should not be treated casually, akin to the exchange of everyday grocery items.