WATCH: Heroic neighbourhood watchman honoured

HE resisted the temptation to be bribed with cash and meat from stolen cattle carcasses, twice thrown off the top of a moving vehicle and his heroic efforts in capturing a notorious cattle rustler were yesterday handsomely rewarded by farmers from Matabeleland provinces.

Last month, police in Bulawayo arrested 43-year-old Bhekilizwe Nyathi from Nkulumane suburb who was caught red-handed with five slaughtered stolen cattle.
Nyathi, who was accompanied by two accomplices, was apprehended by a member of the neighbourhood watch committee – Mr Shepherd Ncube – who spotted the three in their parked vehicle, which contained the cattle carcasses on August 27.

The value of the recovered stolen cattle was US$2 250. The suspect was remanded in custody to today. Touched by the near death experiences while on duty at the hands of the cattle rustlers who struck Mr Ncube with the back of an axe after he refused to take a bribe and drove off with him hanging precariously on top of their pick up, farmers have mobilised funds to thank him for his selfless acts.

The farmers from Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces as well as those with farms on the periphery of Bulawayo handed over cash and meat to the local hero at the Ross Camp Police Station yesterday.

He received US$765, R5 360, US$270 sent through mobile money transfer platform, EcoCash, ZWG270 in local currency and meat worth US$50.
Speaking through one of their representatives, Mr Jairos Mahlangu, who is a respected pedigree Brahman cattle breeder, said the fact that farmers from three provinces came together to thank Mr Ncube is proof that cattle rustling in a scourge that affects every farmer regardless of the location of their farms, plots or communal areas.

“Sometimes cases of cattle rustling occur right in front of the eyes of community members who see trucks carrying stolen cattle drive around in dusty trails in their communities at night but they choose to say or do nothing,” he said.

“Our appeal as farmers is for community members to report suspected cases of cattle rustling because that is the right thing to do. “We applaud Mr Ncube for his bravery on that day, a selfless act that resulted in stolen carcasses being recovered and a suspect arrested,” said Mr Mahlangu.

The local hero said when he refused to take the bribe offered by the three cattle rustlers, one of them was so infuriated that he struck him with the back of an axe.
“At that moment, when he struck me with an axe, I did not know the extent of my injuries but just jumped on top of their vehicle when they tried to drive off,” he said.

“They continued driving until I fell off the moving vehicle and sustained more bruises on my arms and legs. Some motorists saw what was happening and they tried to block the vehicle and that’s when I jumped on top of the car again. I fell for the second time but this time the vehicle had stopped in a nearby river,” said Mr Ncube.

He called on other neighbourhood watch committee members to shun corruption when faced with situations, when suspects dangle cash or other incentives when faced with arrests.

Officer Commanding Bulawayo Metropolitan province, Commissioner Dr Wiklef Makamache, was full of praise for Mr Ncube’s bravery. “Mr Shepherd Ncube through dedication, resilience and alertness became a central figure for his act of bravery in the recovery of five stolen carcasses. The neighbourhood watch committee where Mr Ncube falls under is an arm and an offspring that arose from one of our contemporary policing initiatives for the formation of a strong joint venture between the police and members of the public in fighting crime in Bulawayo,” he said.

“The crime of stock theft pierces through the heart of agricultural livelihoods and is a major obstacle to the existence and growth of our national herd.
“Today, our memories are drawn to the attention of the events of August 27, 2024 when Shepherd Ncube observed a Mazda pickup fully loaded with cattle carcasses,” said Dr Makamache.

The police boss said there were many choices available to Mr Ncube to choose from instead of apprehending one of the suspects, but he opted to be on the right side of the law.

“Others could have deliberately avoided the risk while others could have gone for a bribe or just joined the perpetrators as accomplices but for our own hero, regardless of the offensive physical actions of the suspects, he remained resolute to fight criminality,” he said.

Farmers from far flung areas such as Kezi, Nkayi, Nyamandlovu and Esigodini, among other places, were represented by their representatives in handing over the cash donation to Mr Ncube.