Question NW215 to the Minister of Police

Reply:

(1)(a) A total number of 1 283 cases of stolen cattle, specifically in Ficksburg and its surrounding areas, were reported in the 2023/24 financial year.

(b)(i)(ii) No firearms that have been assigned to members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), were identified as being involved in crimes associated with gang violence and livestock theft, in border towns, particularly in Ficksburg and its surrounding areas. In the event of a firearm being positively linked to a members of the SAPS, the SAPS will ensue that the matter is fully investigated, without fear or favour.

1. The mandate of Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit is to investigate all cases of stock theft and crimes related to endangered species, without any exception. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the Stock Theft and Endangered Species Units to investigate any member of society, including any police officials, who are involved in stock theft.

(3)(a)(b) Cattle-theft, gang violence and police corruption in areas such as Ficksburg are being prioritised by the management of the SAPS in the Free State Province.

In addressing rural safety and cross-border crime affecting border towns, the following measures are in place:

• Regular cross-border and bi-lateral operations are conducted between the SAPS in the Free State and the Lesotho Mounted Police.
• The province conducts regular rural safety meetings, Stock Theft Information Centre (STIC) meetings and crime awareness campaigns with the relevant communities.
• Weekly “Blue-White-Light” Operations in the rural areas are conducted with the community and other security companies, to address general and cross-border crime.
• A designated police official has been appointed as the Rural Safety Coordinator, at all Rural Stations, and serves as the link between the rural community and the police, to enhance safety.
• Rural Safety Committees and Stock Theft Forums have been established at station, district and provincial levels, to deal with rural safety in general. This includes planning joint operations, the conducting of intelligence briefings, attending reported cases, and providing complainants with feedback on the status of cases.

(4) Quarterly bi-lateral meetings are convened between SAPS in the Free State, the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng, and the Lesotho Mounted Police, chaired by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Policing of the Free State, to address cross-border crime, extraditions, repatriations, stock theft, theft and robbery of vehicles, human trafficking, gangs, drugs and firearms proliferation. The Province has also submitted a request for the amendment of the Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No. 06 of 2002), as well as the Stock Theft Act, 1959 (Act No. 57 of 1959), since both acts are outdated and do not enable the addressing of emerging challenges.  

The province conducted a Rural Safety Summit with stakeholders, from 28 August to 29 August 2024, to enhance the collaborative implementation of Rural Safety Strategy.

(5) The Free State Province has 11 units whose primary mandate is to investigate all cases of stock theft e.g. cattle, goats, sheep etc. The Office of the Provincial Commissioner intervenes as and when necessary, to supplement personnel numbers assigned to these units, by tasking members from other visible and investigative units in the province, to conduct integrated operations, with a host of other stakeholders to prevent, combat and investigate stock theft.