Matebeleland South cattle herd threatened by theft
By Mandla Tshuma
Cattle ranchers have complained of increasing stock theft cases in Matabeleland South province.
GWANDA — Increasing stock theft in the Matabeleland South province, where over 100 cattle are stolen monthly, is posing a serious threat to the region’s cattle herd.
The province, affectionately known as the “Brazil of Zimbabwe” due to its large number of cattle and high quality beef, has already been feeling the pressure from consecutive dry spells that have hit the province.
Cattle ranchers have now complained of the increase in stock theft cases in the province and have challenged the police to intensify their operations to curb rustling.
One of the ranchers, Patras Mazibuko, said he lost 13 cattle in April and efforts to recover his livestock had been futile.
A village head from Gwanda’s ward 22, Mjuza Ncube, said that stock theft had reached alarming levels with over 100 cattle stolen on a monthly basis in the area.
It is understood that rustlers are operating as syndicates within communities.
According to police records, stock theft is among the major crimes of concern in the province.
Police said the failure to control the movement of livestock by farmers had created opportunities for cattle rustlers, while the lack of personal brands on cattle has often made it difficult for the police to link the recovered cattle to the rightful owners.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union national livestock chairperson, Irene Maphenduka, said their union was devastated by the continued loss of livestock through theft at a time when the national herd was already depleting.
“Who can be pleased by such developments? It is indeed sad and painful for farmers to lose cattle which are later sold at very cheaper prices,” she said, calling for the public humiliation of apprehended rustlers as well as deterrent sentences on convicted cattle rustlers.
She pleaded with farmers to ensure that all their animals were kept enclosed overnight to minimise risks and to use brands and tags for easy identification of stolen animals.
Nyamazana Auctioneers director, Jonathan Nsingo, said the increase in livestock theft was negatively impacting on their business in the province.
“It is very bad especially in Gwanda and as auctioneers we no longer have business, as no cattle are being brought to cattle sales pens,” he said.
Nsingo questioned the logic of police clearing questionable sales by some individuals who conducted door-to-door cattle sales.
“I am not afraid to say the police are also partly to blame for this development (cattle rustling) which will seriously affect the national herd. Actually, the government no longer knows how many cattle there are in the county,” he said.
Nsingo said there was need for a ban on all door-to-door buying and selling of cattle and urged that all animals should be brought to open cattle sales pens supervised by rural district councils, registered auctioneers and various departments under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Zimbabwe’s national herd has declined due to drought, which has resulted in the depletion of pasture, as well as thefts.
Deputy minister of Agriculture responsible for livestock, Paddy Zhanda, said increasing the national herd was not necessarily the solution to addressing the depleting cattle numbers in the country. Instead, he said Zimbabwe needed to address the issue of genetics which affects low calving rate and fertility of the livestock.
Zimbabwe’s calving rate is currently at 48 percent, far below the ideal rate of 80 percent, while average dress mass of animals has also gone down from 220kg to 167kg.
Zhanda said government had identified areas of improvement in cattle production, which include the training of farmers, intensification of extension services and new ways of dealing with the foot and mouth disease.
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