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[FILE] Police stop a vehicle with suspected stolen livestock.
Commercial and subsistence farmers from South Africa and Lesotho have reached an agreement to combat stock theft across the border.
Farmers from Qacha’s Nek District in Lesotho and the Alfred Nzo District in South Africa have formed a joint anti-stock theft organisation.
The initiative follows years of conflict between communities, with livestock theft leading to violence and loss of life.
The agreement was formalised during the 6th annual Anti-Stock Theft celebrations in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
A group of farmers from Lesotho crossed the border on horseback to attend the event, joining their South African counterparts in a show of unity.
Farmers say stock theft has declined since the formation of the joint structure.
Livestock farmer Sanele Marareni says his family was directly affected.
“Because of stock theft, we lost our father. People from Lesotho came to our village and took my father’s cattle; there were 25 cattle. They drove them to Lesotho using firearms, and my father followed, and then he fell off the cliff, and he died. We lost lives from our village. So we are thankful that these Vutha farmers for farmers and stock theft to prevent theft, we are very thankful because so many lives will be saved now and our livestock will be saved,” said Marareni.
Farmer Kaguoe Phantle says the initiative has made progress.
“We have gathered here to revive and celebrate the work we started since the inception of the initiative and to reflect on how far we have come in the fight against stock theft. Stock theft will not come to an end, we were born into it, we were raised with it, but yes, it has declined significantly, and we are working to eliminate it,” said Phantle.
Another farmer, Matsoso Motloli, called for wider participation.
“We would like livestock farmers to join Vutha anti-stock theft organisations. We are committed to fighting stock theft in our communities. We want to end cross-border stock theft between communities in South Africa and in Lesotho,” said Motloli.
#sapsFS 7 Suspects were swiftly traced and arrested and stolen livestock recovered at Phomolong, Bloemspruit on Friday 17/04, following a community #TipOff.
A total number of 30 sheep were recovered and handed back to the lawful owner who arrived with a team from Stock Theft and… pic.twitter.com/Sak1GQRYFI
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) April 20, 2026
Law enforcement agencies have welcomed the initiative.
Lesotho police representative Thuso Shabalala says cooperation will assist policing efforts.
“I think this celebration is going to be very useful to us as Lesotho police because we will be advised with our counterparts in South Africa here, we will work together… the ceremony will help us very much,” said Shabalala.
South African police representative Major General Nompumelelo Majikijela says the initiative has already contributed to a decline in stock theft.
“They are fighting stock theft on both sides. We are here today because of the decrease in terms of stock theft, so the community here felt that they must call their counterparts and celebrate together, decreasing stock theft from both countries,” Majikijela says.
Matatiele Local Municipality Mayor Patrick Stuurman says the collaboration supports local economic growth.
“We do recognise this, and also we do have a farmers’ association in Matateile which includes white commercial farmers and also commercial farmers broadly. But today we are here in deep rural areas where we celebrate the reduction of stock theft that has been caused by these groups that have formed to say that they reduce the issue of stock theft. We celebrate and support them,” said Stuurman.
Stakeholders say continued cooperation will be key to further reducing stock theft in the region.
