Old Man’s 14 Cattle Stolen in Mpumalanga, Says He Is “Heartbroken” As Police Continue to Investigate

• A 76-year-old man from Kwaggafontein is heartbroken following the theft of 14 cattle from his kraal
• Jacob Masango blames loadshedding for the increase in stock theft and called for the community’s help
• A Free State Agriculture risk and safety analyst wants police to rethink their strategy to deal with stock theft

MPUMALANGA - A 76-year-old man, Jacob Masango, has blamed loadshedding for the theft of his 14 cattle from a kraal in Kwaggafontein.

He is seeking help from community members to locate his cattle that disappeared on Wednesday, 25 January. Masango claims it is the second time in two years that a large number of his livestock were stolen.

Speaking to the Daily Sun, Masango said he is heartsore over the theft. He claims cattle are being stolen weekly in the area, which is becoming more prevalent due to loadshedding.

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Masango said he worked hard to save money to buy his cattle, and everything went down the drain. He said he tried following the thieves’ tracks but in vain.

The 76-year-old also told the publication that someone contacted him, claiming that they had information regarding the stolen livestock and asked for R3 000 for information. He handed the details to the police; however, no arrests have been made yet.

Risk analyst calls for SAPS to properly deal with stock theft

Meanwhile, a risk and safety analyst at Free State Agriculture recently said the crime stats regarding stock theft, which indicated that it increased by 0,6% in the third quarter, is not a true indication of the country’s state.

Dr Jane Buys told Farmers Weekly that the police will have to rethink their strategy to deal with stock theft in rural areas.

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Limpopo police arrest suspected livestock thief following Intense car chase

Briefly News also reported that the Limpopo police arrested a man suspected of stealing cattle in the area of Brooklyn village after an intense car chase. The 40-year-old man was identified by patrolling police on the R579, driving a dodgy unmarked Toyota Hilux and speeding on 19 October.

The police spokesperson of Limpopo, Lieutenant Colonel Mamphaswa Seabi, told TimesLIVE that the police tailed the car and failed to stop it. That led to an intense car chase that started in Glen-Cowie village and ended in Brooklyn.

Two men were in the car, but one suspect was arrested after another ran away on foot. In the car, one calf and three mature cattle were discovered by the police.

Source: Briefly News