By Berio Mbala
Windhoek
Communal livestock farmers in the Caprivi Region have experienced a rise in livestock theft, which has culminated in huge losses for the farmers.
Ironically, some of the livestock are apparently stolen by herd boys who claim they are not being paid the agreed wages by their bosses.
According to Detective Warrant-Officer Evance Simasiku, stock theft and house break-ins are on the increase compared to other criminal activities in the region, which show a decline because of the cooperation between the Namibian and Zambian police.
He said at least five cattle or more are being stolen every day, and that one cow costs approximately N$2 000.
He said the Namibian Police in the region are working hand in hand with the police in Zambia and a Namibian youth group called Youth Against Crime to reduce crime in the region.
“In most of the cases investigated, it is being discovered that people affecting the community’s livestock are from Zambia,” said Simasiku.
He added: “The stock theft is mainly caused by our herd boys who are employed to look after the cattle.” They end up stealing and running away with the cattle.
Most farmers in the region depend on subsistence livestock sales and an increase of theft in livestock leads to income loss.
He said three quarters of the cattle stolen are mostly recovered if reported on time to the Namibian Police, but those reported late make recovery difficult because they may have already been taken to Zambia.
Simasiku said though there has been a decrease in other criminal activities in the region, the same activities are still taking place such as robbery, rape, common assault and others.
Most of the criminal activities occur in the informal settlements of Choto, Cowboy and Butterfly because a large number of women and other people pass through the bushes when they go shopping at Katima Mulilo shopping complex, he said.
He said the culprits are mostly unemployed youths. According to the Namibian Police, most of those arrested one way or another have connections with people from Zambia.
Simasiku urges the people of the Caprivi region to cooperate with the Namibian Police and young people of Youth Against Crime “to fight crime together so that society could live a happy normal life”.
He said the police alone cannot effectively combat crime in the region. The community and the police should work together to overcome crime.