BRIEFING ON STOCK THEFT

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE26 MAY 2010

PURPOSE

This presentation is to brief the Portfolio committee on stock theft in the country and clarify the role the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on stock theft

BACKGROUND

Prior to 1994 an Act which makes provision to consolidate and amend the laws relating to the theft of stock and produce known as Stock Theft Act, 1959 (Act No. 57of 1959) was promulgated

The South African Police Services (SAPS) is the implementing authority and the Minister of Justice is referred to as the Minister in the Act.

Because stock theft is a specialised crime, the SAPS have deployed specialist units, the Stock Theft Units (STU) throughout the targeted territory of the Republic.

BACKGROUND

The Commanding Units are in Pretoria, manage and co-ordinate 70 units.

The STU has established a National Stock Theft Forum Farmer organisation STU of SAPS Office of the Public Prosecutor, Department of Correctional Services, Department of Justice etc.

A further avenue of communication was created by STU, the (Forensic Interdepartmental Stock Theft Committee) FIST STU, SAPS Forensic Laboratory, ARC Irene DNA Laboratory,

DAFF Registrar AIDA, Registrar of Animal Improvement and D:AH Import Control are represented.

HOT SPOT AREAS AS IDENTIFIED BY THE SAPS

HOT SPOT PROVINCE

Tsolo, Qumbu, Maluti Eastern Cape Povince

Amersfoort, Dirkiesdorp Mpumalanga

Bergville, Dannhauser, Utrecht, Ladysmith Kwa-Zulu Natal

Taylors halt, Ezakheni, Escourt, Bulwer Kwa-Zulu Natal

Selosesha, Harrismith Free State

Dennilton Limpopo

THE ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT IN STOCK THEFT.

The Directorate Animal Health promulgated Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No. 6 of 2002). The act aims to consolidate the law relating to the identification of animal and to provide for incidental matters.

The Act identifies ownership of animals. This law came onto operation on the 21 November 2003 as determined be the President in Government Gazette No. R. 71, 2003.

AIDA is the fist line of defence against stock theft The following provisions are made in the Act :

Prescribe identification marks Keeping of a national register of all identification marks Spells out the duties of animal owners Registration of marking operators Appoint Officers and Inspectors

THE ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION ACT

Makes the marking of Cattle, sheep and goats compulsory

Makes provision for the tattooing of calves to ensure positive identification as early as possible

Regulates the animal identification process

INFORMATION RECORDED

Animal Identification mark Full names and surname Identity number of the owner/registration number of

CC/Company/Trust/Partnership Physical address Postal address Farm name Magisterial District Province Telephone number Receipt number

APPLICATION FORM

Position of AIDA is as follows:

The Minister has by regulation declared cattle, sheep, goats and pigs as animals in respect of Act No. 6 of 2002.

There is one prescribed identification mark system (see Annexure 3) which is computerised. SAPS has full access to this computerised AIDA register.

Currently as on 21st May 2010  512 566, Animal Identification Marks have been registered on the (AIS)

Number of livestock owners of 2 million subsistence farmers, 350 000 beginner farmers and 60 000 commercial farmers]

Linking AIDA to SA stud book and Intergis. (

CHALLENGES

The system is not linked to the pedigree livestock identification system

All legal animal identification systems should be linkedPeople are marking animals for financial gain without

been registered.Possible duplication of marks in neighboring countries We have suggested that each SADC Country has an

additional mark that identifies the country in question and Namibia , for example is using a N and we made country marks for Lesotho and Swaziland as a gesture of goodwill

Animal welfare issues Object to the use of hot iron brands

REASONS

Registration cost of R 120-00 is too highThere is a practical challenge to obtain a branding ironCost of tattooing tongs, inks and characters are

prohibitive expensive. Sheep, goats and Pigs need to be marked by tattooing.

Owner indentified animals that roam or stray on roads and cause damage, is a liability of the identified owner as he will be called on to pay damages, e.g. Road accidents, crop damage, etc

WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE SO FAR

Trained 7 Training Institutions to train Marking Operators as an outsourced activity for service Providers to create jobs

Registered 340 Marking OperatorsIssued competence certificates to 560 AHT and animal

OwnersAuthorised 27 AIDA Co-ordinators that are in Provincial

Veterinary Services.Conducted close to 121 contact sessions with animal

owner as AIDA beneficiaries

OTHER ISSUES

South Africa does not have an official livestock traceability system for animal disease control that can be used in conjunction with the Animal Identification System and movement control of animals.

In discussions on establishing a traceability system in compliance with the livestock strategy of South Africa and also in synchrony with global trends.

At the moment South Africa has as Animal Identification System guided by the Animal Identification Act, 2000 (Act 6 of 2000). The system is mainly identifying the ownership of the animal.

The Animal Identification Act has played a major role in curbing stock theft.

Problems are also experienced with impounded animals without identification marks.

CONCLUSSION

Traceability To monitor livestock movement Reduce stock theft Facilitate access to markets Challenges

− Very costly

Botswana system Intensify our work with Provinces

Information campaigns Administration huddles Distribution of certificates