According to the latest police statistics, stock theft in South Africa is on the rise with close to 30 000 cases recorded in the recent financial year.
Porous and poorly secured borders are blamed for contributing to the problem.
Stock theft across borders, particularly the South African and Lesotho borders, has been a challenge for years.
In August this year alone, in a joint operation between the two countries, 117 stolen cattle, 107 stolen goats, four sheep and seven horses were found.
It has been reported that the stolen animals are often hidden along the mountainous border and then moved into Lesotho where they are rebranded and sent back to South Africa.
As stock theft has increased, so has the violence associated with it.
However, many of these cases aren’t reported due to fear of retaliation by attackers who target farmers and their workers. Low conviction rates and slow police action – often due to capacity constraints – has further damaged the relationship between farmers and police. – Zoë van Rooyen
