MMAMETLHAKE – The acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, led an operation on January 22, 2025 in Mmametlhake, focusing on stock theft. This comes after a significant increase in stock theft incidents in the village.

The sting operation resulted in the confiscation of seven (07) suspected stolen cattle at a location called Allemansdrift C in Vaalbank, near Mmametlhake.

Although no one was arrested in connection with the recovery of the livestock, the police investigation is ongoing.

A police helicopter from Pretoria was also deployed to assist, and it proved to be of great help.

Meanwhile, during the operation, a male suspect, aged 31, was arrested at Siyabuswa for possession of approximately 14 suspected Crystal Meth drugs and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is currently in custody and is expected to appear in court soon.

Lekgotlha Moagi, a resident of Mmametlhake, expressed gratitude for the operation, citing the many unresolved cold cases of stock theft. He hopes that, from now on, these matters will be taken seriously.

“We wrote to the commissioner of the police so that he can come help us because we are crying – our stock is our wealth; without them, we are the poorest. We, as community members, need to work with law enforcement to curb and stop this issue,” said Moagi.

Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi commended the men and women in blue in Mpumalanga for their dedication and the successful execution of the operation.

The recovery of the stolen cattle and the arrest of the suspect demonstrates the SAPS’s commitment to combating crime and ensuring the safety and security of all residents in the province.

“We previously emphasised that we take the complaints made by livestock owners very seriously and have responded again in this part of the province with concrete action to address this matter once and for all. We will continue with these kinds of activities going forward,” Mkhwanazi said.