The Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) has been informed by SA Red Meat (SARMC) of yet another brutal livestock slaughter in the Free State Goldfields region. In the early hours of 11 September 2024, cattle belonging to a farmer from the Ventersburg/Virginia area were killed and slaughtered. A disturbing video of the gruesome incident has been shared, showing how the animals were slaughtered in an open field.
This attack follows similar incidents on 24 and 30 August 2024, suspected to have been carried out by the same group. These incidents occurred on several farms in the Goldfields region, and cases have been opened at the Hennenman police station. It is believed that the large quantities of meat obtained in this manner are intended for the Zama Zama market. The presence of firearms in the hands of these criminal gangs cannot be ruled out.
These slaughters not only pose a threat to the safety of family farmers and their workers but also to sustainable farming. They have a devastating economic impact on rural communities that are already under immense pressure. “These criminals must be eradicated at the root, and the illegal markets where the meat flows must be dismantled. Only when the SAPS effectively tackles the Zama Zama market will these raids be brought to an end,” says Dr. JJ de Villiers, managing director of SA Red Meat.
Saai strongly urges the South African Police Service (SAPS) to take decisive action against the Zama Zama gangs operating nationwide, particularly in the Free State Goldfields. Francois Rossouw, Saai’s CEO, concludes: “These heinous incidents of livestock slaughter are a result of the growing problem of stock theft in South Africa, and Saai is working on action plans to put an end to it.”
