The MEC of Police Roads and Transport, Hon Butana Komphela, is visiting Trompsburg on 27 August 2013 to address challenges on stock theft in the Xhariep region.
Stock theft is one of the key priority areas that need attention in the province, livestock is stolen both within the province to other areas and vice versa and in most cases, it happens because stock is either not properly marked and disappears without trace.
Stock theft is a problem all over the Free State which affects emerging and commercial farmers. The problem is found inland, interprovincial and cross border into Lesotho.
The Department hosted the Provincial Crime Prevention Summit on the 11-12 April 2013 and rural safety was identified as one of the major challenges in the province. This could mainly be as a result of its proximity to Lesotho and the fact that Free State is predominantly a farming community.
MEC Butana Komphela has received numerous reports from Xhariep District regarding stock theft and other safety and security challenges. The project would be in a form of an Imbizo that would enable all relevant stakeholders to interact directly with MEC and develop an integrated program to address challenges which affect them. The other purpose of the project is to encourage farmers and livestock owners to be vigilant and take responsibility for the safety of their own stock through ensuring among other things that their stock is marked for easy identification when lost or stolen.
Aims and objectives of the Imbizo
- To sensitize farmers about the importance of animal identification.
- To mobilize farming community to play an active role in preventing stock theft in their own locality.
- To mobilize farmers to work together with the police and other stakeholders in addressing the root causes of stock theft.
- To foster relations amongst stakeholders to ensure the implementation of integrated initiatives to address the problem of stock theft and other safety and security matters
The program would be in a form of an interactive session between livestock owners the MEC and members of the security cluster whereby problems regarding stock theft would be raised. The MEC would be expected to respond on how issues raised would be addressed and other members of the security cluster would also be available for support. About 150 Farmers are expected to attend this Imbizo.
Enquiries:
Zolile Walaza
Cell: 082 410 6516
Saki Mohono
Cell: 082 385 5600
