Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Jose Coetzee and Sesotho soundbite by David Masoeu MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Setsoto will escalate the lack of rural safety meetings to the provincial legislature through formal questions, while intensifying oversight to push for increased resourcing and visibility of specialised rural policing units.
Farmers in the Clocolan district have lost approximately 350 sheep to stock theft between November 2025 and March 2026, resulting in severe financial strains and highlighting ongoing failures in rural security.
This stock theft is not minor or an isolated issue; it appears to be part of organised crime that threatens food security, undermines agricultural sustainability, and places both commercial and emerging farmers under immense pressure.
The reality on the ground is that farmers are being left to fend for themselves, often forced to invest in costly private security alternatives while receiving little to no meaningful support from law enforcement. The lack of visible policing, under-resourced SAPS Stock Theft Units, and weak follow-through in investigations and prosecutions have created an environment where criminals can operate with relative impunity.
This concern is further compounded by the fact that the last rural safety meeting convened by SAPS in the area, where key stakeholders such as farmers are integral to coordinated crime prevention efforts, was held as far back as August/September 2025. These forums are critical for sharing intelligence, identifying crime trends, coordinating responses, and building trust between law enforcement and rural communities.
The absence of regular engagement of this nature severely weakens collective efforts to combat stock theft and leaves farmers isolated, uninformed, and increasingly vulnerable.
This situation in Clocolan reflects a broader national crisis: thousands of stock theft cases are reported annually, and many more go unreported, further masking the true extent of the problem.
In Setsoto, however, the theft of approximately 330 sheep over just five months is a stark, immediate reality that cannot be ignored.
We will also work closely with farmers, agricultural organisations, and community safety structures, where required, to strengthen coordination and support rural patrol initiatives.
The continued theft of livestock in Clocolan is not just a statistic; it represents livelihoods under threat, communities living in fear, and an agricultural sector that is being steadily undermined.
The DA will not stand by while rural communities are neglected. We will continue to fight for practical solutions, accountability, and the protection of farmers in Setsoto.