Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
GWANDA police have launched a blitz targeting cattle rustlers who have been terrorising farmers in the district.
In the past weeks, farmers who lost their cattle managed to locate some of the cattle in Shanyawugwe and Makhado near Beitbridge among other areas.
Some villagers and two police officers were assaulted by the suspected cattle thieves who tried to block searching parties from accessing their areas.
Officer commanding Gwanda District chief superintendent Mandlekosi Moyo said various arms of the police have been deployed to the areas suspected to be cattle rustling hotspots.
He said police were patrolling with the Dog section, Support Unit and Mounted Unit.
In WhatsApp audio to farmers in the district, chief supt Moyo called on farmers who may have fallen victim to the rustlers to come and identify some of the cattle that have been found.
“We have been on the ground with more than 100 police details since the weekend and have arrested some of the suspects. We have also managed to recover hundreds of suspected stolen cattle. The operation will continue until we bring the matter to a close,” he said.
Chief supt Moyo said farmers will also be taken to grazing areas where some of the stolen cattle were being kept by the rustlers.
He said police will not rest until all the culprits are brought to book.
“We know some of you have been raising complaints on how police have handled the problem of stock theft cases.
“We will attend to your concerns as our public relations teams will be available as well. We want to solve this problem before we lose lives,” he said.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena said she was at work out of town hence could not immediately comment.-@themkhust
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