Farmers in Sepako village, Tutume District are reportedly under siege from cross border cattle thieves. Sepako village is located 12 km from the border fence between Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Information reaching the The Telegraph suggests that around 100 cattle were stolen by these criminals since 2023. Farmers in Sepako have cattleposts in Semataphiri, an area which is situated approximately 10km from the border fence.
A number of farmers who preferred anonymity revealed to The Telegraph in an interview that cattle theft became rampant after the Veterinary Services employees who had been manning the border fence were removed in the area by government in 2021.
“The Veterinary Services employees were maintaining this border fence and keeping an eye on the potential risk of Foot and Mouth Disease. Since their removal from area, thieves from Zimbabwe have been terrorizing us. The fence is being vandalized by these criminals as well as elephants as this area is within the wildlife corridor,” said the source.
It is also alleged that some of the cattle from Zimbabwe cross into the country posing a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) hazard. It is further alleged that some of the Zimbabwean cattle farmers deliberately drive their cattle to graze in the Botswana side of the border. They would then take them back collectively with those that belong to citizens.
“Whenever we trace them, their tracks lead us into Zimbabwe. Last month another farmer lost 16 herds of cattle. We also have fear that cattle from the neighbouring country pose a Foot and Mouth Disease hazard. Maybe the government should consider deploying soldiers in the area,” said one of the farmers.
Reached for comment Sepako village headman, Kgosi Ramaditse confirmed that cross border crime from Zimbabwe is giving them sleepless nights.
“It is indeed true that around 100 cattle have gone missing and our main suspicions are that they were stolen by these criminals. I have since elevated the issue to the relevant authorities including the police. We have agreed to meet with the Veterinary Department so that we can find a long lasting solution,” he said.
In an interview with the The Telegraph last week Wednesday Nata Police Station Assistant Superintendent Bupelo Ntatiwa confirmed that they have a number of cases from the area where a number of cattle have gone missing.
“For now we have been reported of 49 cattle that have since gone missing. The problem is that the border fence between the two countries has been destroyed by elephants as this is wildlife corridor. Cattle from Zimbabwe cross into the country and mix with those that belong to citizens. Nonetheless we are conducting our investigations and engaging our counterparts in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Ntatiwa said they met with the village authorities and farmers in Sepako last week where they advised them to form clusters as another form of combating these criminal activities. He also added that they took a resolution as the police to intensify their patrols.
