The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Tuesday, May 25, 1993 — Cattle worth $19 400 were stolen since January this year in Ward 13 of Gwanda South and in an effort to stamp out the crime police in the area are encouraging the formation of neighbourhood watch committees, says the deputy officer commanding Gwanda district Superintendent Adam Ndlovu.

In an interview at the weekend Supt Ndlovu said although the problem affected the whole district, it was worse in ward 13. He said cattle worth $10 400 had been recovered. “In an effort to bring the situation under control we now want to involve the local communities by having them form neighbourhood watch committees. We have tasked the local councillor, the ward development committee and the village development committee with choosing the necessary personnel. The names will be forwarded to us and we will then recruit the right people,” he said.

He said cross-district stockthefts were prevalent, with some culprits coming from as far afield as Sun Yet Sen in Kezi and Mberengwa.

He said the thieves stole the cattle while they were grazing. Police had not received any report of cattle being stolen from pens at night, he said.

“From the number of cattle recovered, it is clear that the situation is under control,” said Supt Ndlovu.

The councillor for ward 13 Mr Moses Chingubo, said although some thieves came from other areas most culprits were locals. He said squatters “who came from Beitbridge district and settled in the ward were also causing problems.”

In Beitbridge district, the acting officer-in-charge, Inspector Michael Nleya, said stocktheft was rampant in the commercial farming areas in the north-east and north-west of the district.