A strategy to fight stock theft in South Africa should include special stock theft courts, members of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries told the Department’s acting Director-General, Mr Peter Thabethe, in Parliament.
The Committee Chairperson, Mr Lulu Johnson, says the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should also collaborate more effectively with other role-players to eliminate stock theft. “Ensure that the Department of Home Affairs participates in your stock theft forums, to strengthen border controls,” he advised.
Mr Thabethe briefed the Committee on stock theft trends and the role of the Department in the fight against the increase in rustling and theft of animals. The Committee heard that five provinces, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo had been identified by the South African Police Service as hot spots for stock theft.
The department’s Deputy Director-General, Ms Elizabeth Mogajane, said the Animal Identification Act was part of the department’s strategy to curb stock theft. The Act, which prescribes identification marks to trace the owner, is the first line of defence against stock theft. But, says Ms Mogajane, the majority of farmers, especially emerging ones, are still reluctant to mark their livestock because the markings make them easier to trace if their animals cause accidents on national roads.
A lack of knowledge about the objectives of the Act and a registration fee of R120 are also obstacles to its full implementation. Committee members appealed to Mr Thabethe to raise awareness of the law among emerging farmers and to waive the registration fee if they could not afford it.
Issued by: Parliament of South Africa
27 May 2010
Source: Parliament of South Africa (http://www.parliament.gov.za)
