A black farmer from Marble Hall in Limpopo has fallen victim to livestock thieves for the umpteenth time and is at his wits’ end because the police keep failing to solve any cases in this regard.
Mr David Ntaki was attacked on his farm on Saturday evening. Armed robbers tied him and one of his workers up and ransacked his room. Several items, such as clothes and his cell phone, were taken and the keys to his safe were demanded from him.
Meanwhile, livestock thieves with three bakkies, a trailer and another private vehicle robbed Mr Ntaki of 68 goats and 40 sheep.
Some of the animals had lams that must now be looked after and without the right milk and feed, they are more susceptible to disease.
According to Mr Ntaki, this is an annual occurrence and he has several reported cases that remain unsolved.
The 2023 livestock theft statistics for Limpopo are already much higher at 2 649 cases compared to last year’s 2 356. (Source: https://www.crimestatssa.com/#!/statistics/)
The blame can be placed squarely on the shoulders of the police, which apparently lack the skills to solve these cases.
It is time for the ANC government to realise that farm attacks and murders are not a so-called “white” problem, but a problem that deeply affects and jolts the entire agricultural and rural community of South Africa and jeopardises food security.
The party will address the matter on provincial level, and demand that the police must establish a special task team and compile an action plan against livestock theft with the support of local security structures.
