[ad_1]
- The syndicate threat of stock theft has been highlighted by the murder of 21-year-old Brendin Horner in Senekal.
- Some farmers alleged that the police were involved in the unions.
- After an initial denial, the Hawks have confirmed that they received a report on this and will investigate.
After an initial denial, the Hawks confirmed that they received a report last year that alleged some police officers were involved in the theft of cattle at Paul Roux and Senekal in the Free State, reports Rapport.
The syndicates’ threat of stock theft has been highlighted by the murder of 21-year-old farm manager Brendin Horner on a farm near Paul Roux.
The defendants in the case were also charged with stock theft.
Herkie Viljoen, chairman of a security committee representing some 500 farmers in the area, previously told Rapport that he filed a report on police involvement in the theft of cattle from the Hawks months ago.
The report alleges that stolen animals were found on a farm owned by a police general, and accuses a station commander in a city in the eastern Free State of being close to the farms at the time they were attacked.
The report contains the registration numbers of the cars used in the attacks, as well as the names of potential whistleblowers at the police.
Two weeks ago, the Hawks’ spokesman, Brig. Hangwani Mulaudzi, told Rapport he was not aware of the report.
But on Sunday, the publication reported that Hawks spokesman Col. Katlego Mogale had confirmed to the Institute for Race Relations that the report was shared with a Hawks lieutenant general after a chance meeting about another case in November of the year. past.
The report was sent to the police representatives.
Mogale confirmed to the IRR that the Hawks in the Free State were now investigating the report.
While Cele was in the area, Viljoen handed her the report detailing the stock theft statistics and alleging the involvement of the police in these crimes.
He asked the minister to eradicate “corrupt” officials.
When asked about the alleged involvement of the police in the cattle theft at a meeting with the farming community in Bethlehem recently, Cele vowed to investigate these allegations.
“They told me that there are police who have farms and livestock, so I want you to show me the receipts, where did you buy them?” Cele told the farmers.
Just hours after Cele and the Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo met with the farmers, an unknown number of thieves made their way to the Concordia farm, in the same area where Horner was killed on October 1.
Through the use of drones, the cattle they stole were later found in a makeshift kraal on a mountain on a nearby farm.
More than 1,500 farm animals were stolen in Senekal and Paul Roux in April and August last year, double the number in the same period last year, Rapport reported.
Viljoen told Cele that losses from stock theft amounted to more than 1 million rand a month in the area, News24 reported.
– Compiled by Helena Wasserman and Jenna Etheridge.
