Zezani: Matabeleland South’s stocktheft hotspot Mr Samuel Ncube

Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter

MR Samuel Ncube (65) says he saw his life flash before his eyes as seven men armed with knives, spears, iron bars and machetes were beating the daylights out of him.

He says his crime was that he wanted to apprehend a livestock rustler who had stolen his four cattle and two donkeys.

Mr Ncube is one of numerous people who have suffered at the hands of livestock rustlers in Zezani, Matabeleland South Province.

Donkeys are an asset to many in rural areas, especially in arid regions of Matabeleland South province as they are the mode of transport, an asset for trade and a source of food for some.

Last year, police intercepted a truck that was transporting 10 cattle suspected to have been stolen from a farm in West Nicholson that were being taken to Bulawayo

In August this year, Mr Ncube said he woke up to find some of his cattle missing.

He and a crew of people tried to track down the livestock using their tracks and, in the bush, they met the alleged cattle rustlers. They gave him the beating of his life, Mr Ncube says.

Now walking with a limp, Mr Ncube narrated his ordeal. He said he was attacked on August 4 at his rural homestead in Bututular Village in Zezani.

“I was attacked by seven people. They chased me with machetes, and knives and when they caught me, they started beating me up. One hit me with an iron bar on my right leg and, I heard it break. One with a spear, stabbed me in the left knee,” said Mr Ncube.

He said he broke his leg and had other wounds; hence he walks with the aid of a crutch.

“I went for treatment at Gwanda Hospital and my leg was broken. I am permanently injured and I use a crutch. They ruined my life, I’m still traumatised if I think of what happened to me,” said Mr Ncube.

Gwanda Provincial Hospital.

He said he is no longer able to do chores like cutting firewood and lives in fear.

“I’m pained at what happened to me because at the moment I can’t cut down trees or do what is called manly duties around the yard. I live with my wife and these people took my source of income. They stole four cows at first and then two donkeys secondly when they injured me,” said Mr Ncube.

He said the problematic areas for stock theft include Shanyaugwe, Ngoma and John Dip.
“These are the places where the rustlers come from and we know them. We implore law enforcement agents to deal with them because we are tired. We are also afraid to come forward with information because these people have been threatening us saying nothing will happen to them,” said Mr Ncube.

Mr Sikhathali Siziba from Dendele Village under Zezani said they are capable of apprehending the stock thieves but they are afraid to do so.

Mr Edward Ndlovu

“We have a problem here as our livestock is always being stolen. We have tried engaging with the authorities, but they always say they don’t have transport. Even if we track down the cattle, we catch the people, and we are charged with kidnapping. So, we don’t know what we should do,” said Mr Siziba.

“There are three cases where people tracked their livestock to someone’s kraal, and when they beat them up or apprehended them, the people were arrested. Just last week, we found goat kids in someone’s hut that we had tracked from a villager’s kraal.”

Mr Siziba said they had lost their sources of income.

“They have stolen donkeys and goats from me. The donkeys are a source of income as when I use them to plough someone’s land, I can get money to pay fees for my children,” said Mr Siziba.
Councillor for Ward 10, Mr Edward Ndlovu said because of stock thieves, he was contemplating leaving the area.

“With what is going on, as a councillor I will end up running away from this area. Not because I don’t like the place, but because I fear for my life,” said Mr Ndlovu.

“Some time ago, one of the youths threatened me with unspecified action because I once, with a group of people, raided a house that had stolen meat. We found them with a bucket of stolen meat but the police said they couldn’t come because of transport.”

Mr Ndlovu said stock thieves have brought untold suffering to him and his fellow villagers.
“We want these people out of our society. We have children and young people who have said they won’t invest in livestock because within a week of it being bought, the animals are stolen.”

He pleaded with Government to intervene as villagers have come to a dead end.

“We don’t have anything in this area and that’s why every year there is a call for drought relief.

Especially the old people, they don’t have donkeys to till the land or livestock that they can sell to buy food, because of these thieves,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Matabeleland South provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena encouraged villagers to speedily report stock theft cases.

“We are encouraging villagers to report stock theft cases early. According to our records, there is a reduction in stock theft cases in the province.

“On the issue of reporting and not attending, Zezani Police Station says they have not received cases of stock theft and the officers have a vehicle that is ready to attend to such cases,” said Insp Mangena. – @bonganinkunzi

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