In a concerted effort to tackle the rampant issue of livestock theft, Free State Agriculture (FSA), in collaboration with the private security company LGV, has trained an additional 16 Psira-registered private investigators this week. This brings the total number of investigators trained to 21.
Peet Swanepoel, the provincial coordinator for Psira private investigators, stated that the training initiative was prompted by requests from various farming communities in the Free State, where livestock theft has already reached alarming levels.
The initiative initially commenced in July 2023, in the Fezile Dabe district when FSA self-funded R1 million, recognising the unacceptable levels of livestock theft in the province.
Farming communities work together
“Shortage of manpower, vehicles, and equipment at the livestock theft units of the police is a major cause for concern, and it became evident that a community initiative was needed to help address the situation,” said Swanepoel.
Successes achieved in collaboration with the police’s rural safety coordinators as well as livestock theft units in certain high-crime areas have already indicated the need to expand the initiative.
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Farming communities in Steynsrus, Bultfontein, Jacobsdal, Marquard, Reddersburg, and Bloemfontein have identified individuals to be trained as private investigators to empower them to effectively address this type of crime. These communities also take responsibility for all operational expenses related to the investigators, with various funding models presented.
Isabel Kruger, livestock theft security representative of FSA, believes that the pressing need at the grassroots level indicates that commercial farmers are heavily targeted by criminal groups and syndicates stealing livestock.
The situation has worsened to the extent that many farmers have had to abandon their farming practices or dispose of certain types of animals. Coordination of this type of crime and centralisation of all information are crucial to achieving success.
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