Stop stock thieves in Mat South

MOST villagers in Matabeleland South are not happy with the way they are losing their livestock and harvested crops to thieves and it is now high time the law enforcement agents put this to an end.

We all know that cattle are the backbone of our economy but to my big surprise cattle rustlers are always on the increase in some parts of the province, especially in Esigodini district.

Villagers have been losing their livestock such as goats, cattle and sheep for a very long time now and they feel something has to be done as a matter of urgency because most villagers now face hunger after losing some of their harvested crops to these merciless thieves who first vandalise their granaries first before stealing everything kept in those granaries.

It is so sad that these thieves mostly target female headed homes. I talked to some villagers who said they found carcasses of their beasts in the bushes after their cattle had disappeared in the middle of the night. They suspect that some locals were conniving with some people from Bulawayo to steal their cattle and crops.

One family lost all its cattle in the Hope Fountain area and nothing was recovered. The police must intervene and stop cattle rustlers who have caused untold suffering to the villagers in Matabeleland South. I think the sentence given to these stock thieves are not deterrent enough because these thieves have continued with their business as if there are no police officers in the districts.