(The Pos News)– A high-impact operation in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District has led to the recovery of stolen cattle and the arrest of three individuals in connection with stock theft. The crackdown, conducted on 22 and 23 August 2024, involved a coordinated effort by the Provincial, Sannieshof, Stilfontein, and Pudimoe Stock Theft & Endangered Species (STES) Units, alongside the Mmabatho Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management (CR & CSM) unit.
The breakthrough came when officers stopped a vehicle towing a trailer filled with eight Bonsmara cattle at Witpan village near Sannieshof. The driver and passenger were unable to provide proof of ownership or transportation permits. Subsequent investigations revealed that the cattle had been stolen from a farm in Migdol.
The suspects, Aaron Kolobe (58), Sedupe Mantlhonyane (50), and Tshwarelo Kobokwe (58), were promptly arrested. The cattle were transported to Lichtenburg pound, where they await identification by their rightful owner.Authorities also seized the Ford Ranger and trailer used in the theft.
The arrested individuals made their first court appearance on Monday, 26 August 2024, at the Sannieshof Magistrates’ Court. Each suspect was granted bail of R1,000.00, with their case scheduled for further proceedings on 10 October 2024.The operation yielded additional results, including 69 fines issued for breaches of the Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No. 6 of 2002).
Enforcement teams also visited multiple locations, including Kabe, Makgobistad, Mayeyane, Khunwana, and Matshepe villages, to ensure compliance with livestock regulations.In a separate case in Madikwe, Sipho Simelela (39) and Mzimkhulu Simelela (64) were sentenced on 19 August 2024 for stock theft and possession of suspected stolen stock.
The charges stemmed from a November 2022 incident where the Simelelas were caught moving 18 stolen cattle from Klipkuil farm in Khayakhulu village. The accused were reportedly hostile towards police and community members who intervened.Sipho Simelela was fined R75,000.00 or sentenced to ten years in prison for stock theft, and R7,000.00 or five years for possession of stolen stock, with the sentences to run consecutively.
Mzimkhulu Simelela’s sentence was postponed for five years, contingent upon his compensation of R45,000.00 to Mrs. Monki Ramatlapeng within four months.Major General Dintletse Molefe, Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, praised the collaborative efforts of the enforcement teams and community members. “This operation underscores the importance of working together to tackle stock theft and enhance community safety,” Molefe remarked.
About the Author
