VEEDIEFSTAL BESPREEK IN DIE NOORD-KAAP
Die RPO Noord-Kaap het op 6 Junie 2024 met die SAPS veediefstaleenheid in Kimberley asook ander landbouverenigings vergader om die knelpunte in die streek en veral in die informele sektor te bespreek.
Die vergadering is gelei deur Jmnr oe Scholtz, Voorsitter van die Noord-Kaap Veediefstal Voorkomingsforum.
Konstabel Semau en Sersant Macogo van die SAPD Kimberley veediefstaleenheid het ‘n beroep op landbouers gedoen om hul probleme en frustrasies rondom veediefstal duidelik te maak sodat hul ingelig kan word oor hoe die probleme met hul beperkte hulpbronne aangespreek kan word.
Sekai het die vergadering meegedeel dat daar afsonderlike gevalle van aanranding in die dag voorkom, veral teenoor veewagters, terwyl die vorme van intimidasie ook verskil. Hul grootste probleem is die knip van drade, veral op die grens tussen die munisipale distrikte en informele nedersettings. Die drade word geknip omdat die gemeenskap kortpaaie oor die plaas vat om ander gebiede te bereik.
Dit is kommerwekkend dat mense in die informele gemeenskap vleis vanuit hul nedersettings verkoop wat afkomstig is van gesteelde diere. Dié pryse is baie laer as die pryse wat in winkels betaal word. Dit veroorsaak dat daar ‘n toename is in die vraag na vleis, wat tot ‘n verhoging in veediefstal lei.
“Hot spot” areas is binne die informele sektor geïdentifiseer en Scholtz het die SAPD versoek om ‘n spesiale taakmag op die been te bring wat spesifiek op hierdie kriminele element fokus.
Die landbouers het ook baie frustrasie uitgespreek met die rapportering van sake aan die SAPD en die tyd wat dit neem om die sake te ondersoek. Mnr Scholtz het gevra dat hulle soveel as moontlik inligting van die sake wat gerapporteer is saambring na die volgende vergadering sodat die RPO Noord-Kaap saam met die SAPD enige probleme identifiseer om te verseker dat die misdadigers gevonnis word.
Inligting rondom wetgewing in terme van vee-identifikasie en die vervoer van diere is in ‘n boekie-formaat aan die lede van die vergadering beskikbaar gestel.
Die Forum sien daarna uit om die informele sektor meer betrokke te kry by die bestryding van veediefstal binne die provinsie.
Bron : RPO Noord-Kaap
LIVESTOCK THEFT DISCUSSED IN THE NORTHERN CAPE
The RPO Northern Cape met on 6 June 2024 with the SAPS livestock theft unit in Kimberley as well as other agricultural associations to discuss the bottlenecks in the region and especially in the informal sector.
The meeting was led by Mr Joe Scholtz, chairman of the provincial Northern Cape Stock Theft Prevention Forum. Constable Semau and Sergeant Macogo of the SAPS Kimberley livestock theft unit appealed to farmers to clarify their problems and frustrations around livestock theft so that they can be informed about how the problems can be addressed with their limited resources.
Sekai informed the meeting that there are separate cases of assault during the day, especially towards herdsmen, while the forms of intimidation also vary. Their biggest problem is the cutting of wires, especially on the border between the municipal district and informal settlements. The wires are cut because the community takes shortcuts across the farm to reach other areas.
It is worrying that people in the informal community sell meat from their settlements that comes from stolen animals. This price is much lower than the prices paid in stores. This causes an increase in the demand for meat, which leads to an increase in livestock theft.
“Hot spot” areas have been identified within the informal sector and Scholtz has requested SAPS to set up a special task force that focuses specifically on this criminal element.
The farmers also expressed a lot of frustration with reporting cases to SAPS and the time it takes to investigate the case. Scholtz asked that they bring as much information as possible from the cases reported to the next meeting so that the RPO Northern Cape together with SAPS can identify any problems to ensure that the criminals are sentenced.
Information about legislation in terms of livestock identification and the transport of animals was made available to the members of the meeting in a booklet format.
The forum looks forward to having the informal sector more involved in the fight against livestock theft within the province.
Source : RPO Northern Cape