By Michelle van der Spuy
The Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) has just launched its national reporting system for stock theft and other crimes.
The new system will target stock theft and illegal hunting, which will help to identify theft patterns and expose syndicates, the RPO says. It has already delivered excellent results in the Eastern Cape.
Stock theft continues to be a serious challenge for livestock farmers, causing not only significant financial losses but also emotional distress when animals are injured or killed. Years of hard work can be undone in an instant.
Many incidences of stock theft go unreported, and if they are reported, incorrect procedures are often followed. Many farmers have expressed frustration with the service they get at their local police stations, and a lack of confidence in the system is frequently cited for not reporting cases of theft. As a result, the true economic impact of stock theft is difficult to quantify.
Dr Frikkie Maré, CEO of the RPO, says the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum (NSTPF) recognises the seriousness of the problem. After thorough investigation, an effective national reporting system has been established, which operates separately from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and is managed by the national RPO.
“The goal of the system is to collect information on stock theft and related incidents, and then to display it on a map. This allows for the identification of stock theft trends and syndicate operations, which information is then shared with SAPS to promote coordinated, effective action.”
The EarthRanger platform is used to process the data. Participating farmers’ information will be treated with strict confidentiality in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Act 4 of 2013, POPIA).
EarthRanger, a software solution developed by the non-profit Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, collects, integrates and displays available historical remote sensing data, and then combines it with field reports.
It is mainly used for wildlife conservation purposes, but a number of non-governmental organisations use it for security in rural areas, since there is often a link between poaching and stock theft.
Early successes
Louis Wessels, the chairman of the NSTPF, says that only an estimated 30% of stock theft incidences are reported. He is optimistic about the new system, and calls on all provinces and farmers to become involved.
Livestock farmers in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Free State have already started using the EarthRanger platform to report stock theft and other issues through Agri Eastern Cape, Agri Western Cape and Free State Agriculture, respectively. Thanks to this information, the police in these provinces have achieved great results.
The police conducted a prevention drive in the Eastern Cape from 12 to 14 February 2025, and managed to recover stolen livestock, enforce livestock branding laws and seize illegal firearms. They recovered 208 cattle, valued at R2,8 million; 15 sheep, worth R22 500; and 25 goats, worth R25 000. They also seized two unlicensed pistols, nearly 50 nine-millimetre cartridges, and 78 850 litres of liquor. And 14 livestock owners were fined for failing to brand their animals.
Wessels says the immediate goal is to implement this reporting system countrywide so everyone can work together to reduce stock theft. “The system identifies hotspots, which makes prevention a great deal easier.”
Here’s how to get involved
Wessels is appealing to farmers to report incidences of stock theft or any other crimes committed on their farms through this system.
The reporting process is simple. It involves providing some information to 071 515 2011 via WhatsApp. Farmers who already use their provincial structures to report incidences of stock theft can continue to do so.
All EarthRanger stock theft data will be aggregated at the end of each month.
The following information is required:
• The farmer’s name and contact number.
• The district and province in which the theft or incident occurred.
• The name of the police station nearest to the incident.
• The type of incident. This includes stock theft, illegal hunting with dogs, snaring, stray animals, poaching, trespassing on private property, attempted stock theft, contraventions of the Fencing Act (Act 31 of 1963), arrests for stock theft, as well as wool and mohair theft.
• Where the incident occurred.
• What happened, including information such as vehicle involvement, evidence at the scene, shoe prints and the time of the incident.
• Extra information such as photographs that could serve as evidence and the case number provided by the police.
Wessels emphasises that this system is meant to complement, not replace, the police’s official stock theft reporting process.
“The system is not mandatory; it is an attempt to supplement and strengthen the formal SAPS system to everyone’s benefit. Farmers are strongly advised to report all incidences of stock theft to the police so that a case number can be obtained.”
