Last week two stock thieves were each given ten year sentences in the Alexandria Regional Court.
Sonwabo Sakata, 40, and his co-accused who was also in his 40s, appeared on a charge of stock theft following their arrest on 22 December 2009.
Last week two stock thieves were each given ten year sentences in the Alexandria Regional Court.
Sonwabo Sakata, 40, and his co-accused who was also in his 40s, appeared on a charge of stock theft following their arrest on 22 December 2009.
Grahamstown SAPS Spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said members of the Grahamstown Stock Theft Unit and other units were conducting operations in Alexandria after a spate of cattle theft in the area, when the two suspects were apprehended with livestock on their Bakkie.
"Upon investigation, it was established that the livestock belonged to a farmer from the Geelhoutboom Farm in Alexandria," said Govender. The farmer went on to positively identify his six cattle by their race, colour and ear tags, valued at R48 000.
Stock theft is an ongoing local problem and former sheep and cattle farmer, Wayne Hibbert, was forced to quit after 22 years because of constantly losing cattle to thieves.
"At first, the thieves would steal at least 12 -15 sheep a year but that amount increased to 50.
In total, I lost almost 500 sheep." He also tried to farm with cattle but the situation worsened and, "that is when I decided to quit completely," he said.
Hibbert laments that the culprits often serve minimal jail time, and on one occasion, "one guy who stole from me was arrested and released on the same day. After his release, he came back and stole from me again," he said.
Local dairy farmer Peter Wylie says that he is one of few farmers left in Grahamstown, and has had to install electric fencing and monitors to ensure the security of his stock.
"I have been a farmer since 1970 and… Stock theft has always been an issue. It is very sickening to think about what we (farmers) continuously have to endure," he said.
The local SAPS are concerned about the number of stock theft cases that go undetected, and Captain Govender says that this is partly due to the fact that animals cannot be traced after they are slaughtered and the branding on their hides, heads and feet are removed.
She says that suspects are then released due to a lack of evidence. "All farmers need to brand their livestock, but they should take note of the regulations governing that procedure. Also, farmers need to keep their stock within perimeters," she said.
The advice emphasised by the Albany and Bathurst Farmers League chairperson, Danny Weppener, is: "Report every single thing that gets stolen, even chickens and make sure that one gets a case number." He appeals to the judicial system to take this matter seriously and to issue hefty sentences to culprits. "The laws regarding stock theft need to be reviewed," he said.
