“He Must Sell Them All”: Eastern Cape Man Gets Emotional Discovering His Stolen Livestock, SA Moved
- An emotional video of an old man rushing to a field to check his sheep that were stolen, and crying when he finds them, moved social media users
- The heartbreaking clip was shared on TikTok by @apla_dalastborn, attracting massive views and comments from a sympathetic online community.
- Social media users were moved by the man's pain, with many sharing their own stories of livestock theft and the emotional toll it takes
Source: TikTok
A man left social media users touched after sharing a video of an Eastern Cape old man’s heartbreaking discovery.
The clip, shared by TikTok user @apla_dalastborn, garnered massive views and comments from viewers, who shared an outpouring of emotion and sympathy.
The video starts with an old man rushing through an open field, with livestock at a bit of a distance. The man spots them from a distance and immediately says he is seeing his sheep, while nervously increasing his walking speed.
The man sees his lost sheep
As he gets closer, he is certain that they are indeed his, and he starts crying, throwing the stick he was carrying on the ground in disbelief. The person who was filming behind him as he walked was deeply touched and felt the pain of the old man.
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Source: TikTok
Police recover stolen livestock
Amid the emotional outpouring, law enforcement took significant steps to combat the thefts with a high-impact operation. A high-impact, three-day law enforcement operation spanning from February 12 to 14, 2025, resulted in a major recovery of stolen animals and illegal weapons. The Eastern Cape multi-district task team, consisting of officers from specialised units, managed to retrieve 208 cattle valued at R2.8 million, 15 sheep and 25 goats.
A media release statement by the SAPS states that two unlicensed 9mm pistols and 246 rounds of ammunition were also seized.. In addition, a total of 78,850 litres of illegal liquor was confiscated. Three individuals, aged between 27 and 65, were apprehended on charges related to illegal firearm possession. One also faced assault charges. Furthermore, 14 livestock owners were penalised R4,250 for failure to adhere to legal branding requirements.
Mzansi shows the old man love
The video garnered massive views and comments from social media users who were deeply touched. Many said their hearts were broken when they heard the old man cry like that.
Some shared how mkhulus and gogos in rural areas relied on their livestock, asking community members to speak out when they suspect neighbours of such activities. Others shared stories of how their families also suffered livestock theft, and some died at the hands of the thieves.
User @sibumkrazuli advised:
"This theft is in Transkei. He must take his heep to Ciskei, or Queenstown, Craddock, Ngqushwa and Humansdorp. Okhanye uzokhala (or, he'll cry) every month. Transkei is very bad."
User @raggea shared:
"They voted for ANC, and now there is no security."
User @uGonondo Omkhulu said:
"The ANC and the EFF are trying by all means to destroy agripastoralism in South Africa 🇿🇦. You can deny it! You know deep down that politicians have destroyed black livestock farmers."
User @TeamLove commented:
"I remember this experience, when I received a call from home saying my father had passed away because of this life's stock theft. I will never recover from that."
User @MrJ Nkuna178 added:
"Be strong, baba. What matters is that you found them."
User @Kaluyax2 said
"There is just a lack of will from our government, with the abundance of artificial intelligence, i.e solar lights, tracking devices, drones, beam sensors and cell phones. They can also use the unemployed youth to boost policing and tracking in villages and farming communities. This can be combated in the whole country. It's no use to point fingers only at the people who are selling food and tshisanyamas. What about those who are exporting in bulk?"
User @Charlie commented:
"He must sell them all because they're still gonna take them, basozithatha (they will come for them)."
Watch the TikTok video below:
3 Briefly News articles about the Eastern Cape
- A woman shared a fascinating vlog detailing her journey to secure a prime piece of land near the beach from the chief of a neighbouring village, leaving social media users envious.
- A Xhosa babe shared snaps of her traditional wedding online, receiving many congratulatory messages.
- Young men from the Eastern Cape returned from initiation school in a helicopter, sparking mixed reactions on social media platforms.
Source: Briefly News
