Members of the joint police operation during the recovery of the stolen cattle.
A high-stakes joint operation has successfully recovered 18 cattle stolen from the Kingdom of eSwatini, marking a significant victory against cross-border stock theft.
The recovery took place in the early hours of Thursday, January 29, at approximately 04:30 in the Mayflower area.
According to the provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the operation was triggered by intelligence regarding livestock that had been illegally moved across the border.
Acting swiftly on this information, a coordinated team of officers from the Gert Sibande District moved in on a property located in Donga, Mayflower.
“The operation was a collaborative effort involving multiple security agencies. Upon arrival at the location, police discovered 18 cattle bearing Swazi brand marks,” said Ndubane.
She added that relevant role players were immediately summoned to the scene to assist in the verification and processing of the livestock, including the Elukwatini Stock Theft Unit, the eSwatini Stock Theft Unit, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and local Community Policing Forums (CPF).
Ndubane further noted that the cattle were found grazing in an open field near the identified property. At the time of the discovery, no shepherd was present, and no suspects were arrested at the scene.
“The animals were safely transported to a SAPS holding facility for processing. On January 30, the livestock was officially handed over to the eSwatini Police and subsequently returned to their rightful owners in the Kingdom of eSwatini,” Ndubane said.
She concluded by noting that investigations are ongoing to identify the suspects behind the theft.
