Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance notes the shocking findings from Stats SA’s latest Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey (2024/25), which confirm the devastating scale of stock theft in South Africa.
In the past year alone, 36 109 cases of stock theft were reported – a 3.5% increase from the previous year. A staggering 152 033 animals were stolen, with the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape the hardest-hit provinces. Beyond the statistics, these crimes destroy livelihoods, threaten food security, and destabilise the rural economy.
For many farmers, their cattle, sheep, or goats are their only source of income — often built up over years of sacrifice. When criminals come in the dead of night to steal or slaughter these animals, entire families are left destitute, their dignity stripped away, and their futures shattered.
This scourge has become a crisis for farmers and rural communities, who face not only financial ruin but also the trauma of violent raids and brutal livestock slaughters. The report further highlights the ongoing challenges in SAPS investigations and prosecutions, which too often leave criminals unpunished.
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen is taking decisive steps to address this crisis. He is negotiating for zero tolerance against perpetrators and highlighted the need for inter-agency cooperation, harsh convictions, and the dismantling of illegal meat markets. He is driving reforms to implement a robust animal identification and traceability system, investing in innovative technologies such as DNA profiling and biometric tagging, and coordinating closely with SAPS through the Rural Safety Strategy to strengthen prevention and detection.
The DA fully supports these initiatives. Stock theft is a national agricultural emergency that requires coordinated action across government and industry. Minister Steenhuisen’s efforts to modernise traceability, tighten legislation, and support farmers are critical steps towards safeguarding food security and restoring rural safety.
The DA will continue working to ensure that this scourge is met with the urgency and seriousness it demands.
Regards
Willie Aucamp MP
DA Spokesperson on Agriculture