KZN livestock theft persisting
The KwaZulu-Natal Red Meat Producers Organisation says stock theft remains a big problem with more than 14 000 cattle stolen in the province in the past financial year.
This week KZN police recovered 395 stolen in areas including Nongoma, Babanango, Ceza, Mondlo and Bergville.
They include cattle, goats, sheep and horses.
Chairperson of the organisation, Hendrik Botha says KZN has five of the ten livestock theft hot spots in the country, adding the 13 stock theft units within the SAPS in the province are working closely with them to fight the scourge.
He says the problem is arrests often don't result in successful prosecutions.
''We support the prosecutors. The problem is the prosecutors are not specialised in stock theft and we would like to assist them by all means.
''Twenty-five percent of all livestock stolen in this country is in KwaZulu-Natal which is a great concern to us,'' he said.