MPUMALANGA. – Four men have been arrested after a farmer and his neighbours pursued and detained suspected cattle thieves on a farm in Middelburg and held them in custody. Livestock valued at an estimated R87 000 was involved in the incident.
According to SAPD, 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 head of cattle through the cut fence into nearby bushes.
The farmer called on his neighbours for help. They pursued the suspects and detained four men across the road, near the bushes.
A maroon Mazda Thunder station wagon, allegedly used during the incident, was found at the scene. In the vehicle was a black plastic sheet which police said could potentially be used to wrap meat after the animals were slaughtered.
Police also found cattle hides with brands, meat and two live calves near the vehicle.
Four remain in custody
The suspects were 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.
Lt. Gen. 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.
