Free State MEC for Police, Roads and Transport Hon. Butana Komphela accompanied by the Mayor of Tswelopele Ms. Matsoko Mathibeli visited Hoopstad to meet emerging livestock farmers in the area on 11 June 2013.
These emerging farmers related painful stories where they allege that they have lost close to 45 cattle and suspect that one person is responsible for shooting and poisoning their cattle since 2008.The most recent incident is alleged to have taken place on 1 June 2013, when five cattle were killed and two are still roaming with bullets in their thighs.
MEC Butana Komphela suggested the following as way forward to assist emerging livestock farmers:
- Tswelopele Municipality to erect a fence so that animals do not stray into the premises of a commercial farmer in the area.
- Urged members of the community to jealously guard the fence.
- A truck collecting scrap metal in the area be debarred from doing so because of the suspicion that steel poles are sold to this scrap collector.
- A dedicated SAPS Task Team be established immediately to investigate from scratch all cases of alleged killing of livestock dating back to 2008.
- The Task Team should work with the Technical experts from the Department of Agriculture to investigate the deaths of livestock, test the carcasses to determine what killed the animals.
Major General Afonso and Brigadier Posholi attended the meeting and were requested to immediately set up the Task Team which will investigate the cases and conduct quality assurance on the process.
Members of the community were delighted about this visit and expressed hope that they will soon find what exactly happened to their livestock and that the perpetrator or perpetrators shall face the full might of the Law.
Enquiries:
Zolile Walaza
Cell: 082 410 6516
Saki Mohono
Cell: 082 385 5600
