Zimpapers Logo

Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
LIVESTOCK farmers have been urged to guard against unscrupulous buyers by ensuring that the necessary paperwork for the sale of cattle is in place and payments are made before releasing their beasts.

This comes after farmers from Beitbridge and Gwanda were swindled of cattle worth a combined US$20 000 in a botched deal with a buyer from Harare.

One of the complainants, Mr Eric Ndou from Beitbridge said he lost 21 cattle to Munyaradzi Chicheko following an agreement that he would be paid within seven days.

Mr Ndou said Chicheko did not stick to his end of the agreement and after futile efforts to get his money, he made a report to the police.

Chicheko was arrested and later released from police custody on bail.

“This happened at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

The buyer, Munyaradzi Chicheko, came through and offered us some lucrative prices and in the process he promised to pay us within seven days.

I gave him my 21 animals but he never came through with the money.

When I tried to call him later on, he said he had not yet been paid alleging he had a contract to supply meat to 5 Brigade in Kwekwe.

At the time, I thought it was a lucrative deal but along the way he started giving different excuses.

I was forced to open a case with ZRP Beitbridge because the guy wasn’t forthcoming,” said Mr Ndou.

He said Chicheko was arrested in December last year after 12 months from the time he reported the case.

“I later learnt that his company was not even registered to begin with.

When I gave him my cattle, I thought he was a genuine guy who was dealing with Government.

My invoice was around US$9 000.

This guy got about 55 to 61 beasts from farmers in Beitbridge on that deal and I was one of the biggest losers after giving him 21 beasts.

I even fell sick as a result of this incident.

I owed some people money and had to destock some cattle from my other feedlot in order to settle my debts,” said Mr Ndou.

Another appellant, Mr Thulani Ndlovu, a butchery owner from Gwanda said he sold 23 cattle to Chicheko and was never paid for them.

“Chicheko and his colleagues also took cattle from farmers in Beitbridge and Rutenga.

I sold my cattle in July last year.

The farmers from Beitbridge reported him and he was caught in Zvishavane.

I had planned to grow my butchery business and buy a truck with the money this guy was going to pay me but now my hands are tied because of this setback,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Chicheko was released on bail two weeks ago as the courts highlighted this was a civil case.

Contacted for comment, Chicheko said he was making efforts to look for the money to pay the farmers he owed.

“The farmers filed a police report against me and the matter is still with the courts.

However, the issue is that we received late payments on some of our business which resulted in us failing to pay the farmers in question.

We’re working on making sure we settle them,” said Chicheko.

He said he did not have timeframes as to when he would pay the farmers as he had been recently released from custody.

“I can only give timeframes once I’ve done meetings with the people I sold the meat to.

I was in custody and was only released two weeks ago. I’m yet to resume talks with the people I sold the meat to,” said Chicheko.

Farmers continue to lose cattle to bogus buyers while others, in a desperate attempt to make a quick buck, release their cattle before they have been paid for.

Chief Mathema from Gwanda said the business of cattle should be treated similar to the grocery store business.

“When it comes to cattle sales, I always tell people not to release their cattle before they’re given the money.

Cattle sales should be similar to grocery sales; you don’t leave a supermarket without paying.

Farmers shouldn’t allow buyers to take their cattle on the promise that they would be paid later, that doesn’t work,” said Chief Mathema.

In some cases, he said, desperation for money drives people to advance cattle before getting paid for them.

“Sometimes people run into trouble and in an attempt to sell two beasts for example, they come across someone who says they’ll give them money for one beast and then pay for the second one at a later date.

Unfortunately, in some instances, that will be the end of it.

Farmers need to know that they should not give anyone their beasts unless they have been paid for in full,” said Chief Mathema.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said law enforcers were working closely with chiefs to fight against crime.

“As police in Matabeleland South, we work closely with chiefs and other traditional leaders in the fight against crime.

Stocktheft is rampant in the province and we urge communities to be wary of getting into shoddy deals with unscrupulous business people as they risk losing out on their livestock and money.

Members of the public should engage us in the sale of livestock to curb stocktheft as well as for protection from conmen. Visit your nearest police station for guidance,” said Insp Mangena.

— @Yolisswa