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Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
THE Beitbridge Rural District Council has banned private cattle sales in an effort to curb stock theft, improve cattle prices and protect livestock farmers from being duped by unscrupulous buyers.

Increased stock theft is threatening the source of livelihood of many farmers in Matabeleland South province which is a livestock farming area.

The nine-year mandatory sentence for stocktheft does not seem to be deterrent enough as daring culprits keep breaking the law.

In a statement, the Beitbridge RDC said it arrived at the decision following a stakeholders meeting on January 21.

“Notice is hereby given that the Beitbridge Rural District Council in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Veterinary Service Department advices of the ending of private and door to door cattle sales in Beitbridge District with immediate effect,” read the statement.

The move is expected to “curb stock theft, improve cattle prices and control cattle farmer duping by unscrupulous people who buy privately”.

Farmers are expected to take their livestock to Beitbridge RDC organised cattle sales for public auction. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union vice president Mr Winston Babbage applauded the move saying farmers were not benefitting from cattle sales.

“We’re trying to decentralise cattle sales because we’ve been having middle-men going to the rural areas and robbing vulnerable people. They can get the cattle on the pretext that they will sell the cattle on behalf of the farmer.

But the farmer can go for two weeks to a month with no payment or they don’t get the correct amount of money for their beast. An old man might get $400 for his beast and yet it should be going for $800. That’s what was happening in Beitbridge until the RDC, police, the veterinary service and the farmers themselves came up with the rule to say all the farmers should take their cattle to a public auction and sell them there.

No one is allowed to buy cattle in Beitbridge now out of a prescribed cattle sale,” said Mr Babbage.