Farmers in Botlhapatlou in the Kweneng District have been encouraged to establish local farmers' committees in areas that did not have them to combat stock theft in their locality.

This was said by Deputy Director of Anti-Stock Theft Branch, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sarah Gabathuse, during an Anti-Stock Theft workshop held yesterday (26/03/2025) in Botlhapatlou village.

In her address, Ms Gabathuse emphasised the significance of farmers' committees and vigilance groups, noting that these community-based structures have yielded positive results in some parts of the country. She encouraged participants to adopt similar strategies in their own communities to help fight stock theft.

Furthermore, ACP Gabathuse highlighted the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and volunteerism within community groups to develop innovative approaches for preventing stock theft. She stressed the need to foster mutual support and cooperation between farmers and law enforcement agencies, adding that this was key to creating safer environments for farmers.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Domkrag Omphitlhetse of Botlhapatlou village, expressed appreciation for the workshop, stating that it was timely for his village which was experiencing a number of stock theft cases. He welcomed the initiative which he believed had the positive impact in bringing change.

For his part, the Divisional Anti-Stock Theft Officer for the Southern Division, Senior Superintendent Charles Mbengwa expressed concern over farmers who withdraw cases from the courts, citing that this undermined police effort. He also raised concerns about butcheries and informal businesses that contribute to the market by buying carcasses of stolen livestock.

Senior Superintendent Mbengwa further revealed that the Police/Community partnerships has been proactive in tackling stock theft by forming task teams and conducting operations. He added that regular inspections of butcheries are also being enforced to ensure compliance with the relevant laws.

The workshop focused on finding solutions to fight stock theft in the area. It was attended by farmers from Botlhapatlou and surrounding villages and other stakeholders such as veterinary officials as well as members of various farmers’ committees.