MPUMALANGA. – Four men have been arrested after a farmer and his neighbours pursued and apprehended suspected cattle thieves on a farm in Middelburg and detained them. Livestock with an estimated value of R87 000 was involved in the incident.
According to the SAPS, the farmer woke on Wednesday 28 October at approximately 02:40 when an employee warned him that people were cutting the farm's fence.
The two investigated and allegedly saw the suspects driving six cattle through the cut fence into nearby bushes.
The farmer called for his neighbours' help. They pursued the suspects and apprehended four men across the road, near the bushes.
A Maroon Mazda Thunder station wagon, allegedly used during the incident, was found at the scene. Inside the vehicle was a black plastic tarpaulin which police believe would have been used to wrap meat after the animals were slaughtered.
Police also found cattle hides bearing brands, meat and two live calves near the vehicle.
The suspects have been identified as Vusi Mahlangu (42), Nkosinathi Vilakazi (37), Wiseman Mgidlana (42) and Thulani Nkosi (36).
They appeared in the Middelburg magistrate's court on Thursday 29 October. Bail was not granted and the case was postponed to 5 November 2026 for further investigation. All four remain in custody.
Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, the provincial police commissioner in Mpumalanga, praised the farmer and his neighbours for their cooperation with police and for not taking the law into their own hands.
Nuusflits previously also reported on alleged sheep theft valued at R151 000 at Steynsrus.
Source: South African Police Service (SAPS).
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
