The farmer and criminologist Willie Clack invites farmers to share their experiences regarding livestock theft as part of a research study, conducted through an anonymous online survey, to assess the effectiveness of the relevant structures that attempt to prevent it.
By Carien Kruger, Senior Journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Livestock theft remains one of the most persistent and economically damaging crimes affecting agriculture in South Africa, says Clack, senior lecturer at Unisa. “It undermines rural livelihoods, food security and farmers’ safety, especially in vulnerable communities.
“Although law enforcement agencies and farmer organisations have taken various steps to address the problem, this crime continues to evolve in complexity and severity.”
The National Livestock Theft Prevention Forum was established to enhance cooperation among stakeholders, including law enforcement, farmers and rural security initiatives.
Clack says there is, however, limited empirical research that evaluates how farmers experience the effectiveness of these structures, or which prevention strategies they consider practical.
“Furthermore, South Africa’s recovery rates (how much stolen livestock is recovered), which is an effective measure to gauge community involvement, are outdated.” One of the objectives of the study he is now conducting is to investigate the recovery rates according to police statistics.
He further aims to document the experiences of livestock farmers regarding livestock theft, determine their perceptions of livestock theft trends, and evaluate the role of community forums, such as the livestock theft prevention forum, and other stakeholders in the prevention of, and response to, such incidents.
The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete, and the questions can be answered in English or Afrikaans. It is being distributed, among other methods, via WhatsApp to farmers, members of the police’s Livestock Theft Investigation Unit, and stakeholders in the criminal justice system, as well as other relevant roles in various provinces with a high incidence of livestock theft.
Clack tries to include both commercial and community farmers in the survey, as well as representatives of organised agriculture where applicable.
He extends an invitation to any farmers to complete the questionnaire and thus contribute to safer rural communities.
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Policing of Livestock Theft: Community Involvement
Clack, a former chairman of the national Livestock Theft Prevention Unit and Deputy Chairman of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), has been involved in livestock theft research projects for two decades. He is undertaking his latest study after being approached by the academic journal Social Sciences to submit an article by December this year for the publication’s special edition “Police Community Engagement and Evidence-based Crime Reduction Strategies”.
Using the information he collects and analyses, he wants to make recommendations for strengthening rural security networks.
