Motetema police have opened a stock theft case following the brazen theft of twenty-nine animals from a homestead in Matshelapata village earlier this week.
The incident occurred on the night of Monday, 08 December 2025. According to police reports, the elderly owner had secured his livestock kraal with a padlock before retiring for the evening. Upon waking the next morning, he discovered the kraal gate wide open and the padlock damaged.
An inspection revealed that sixteen goats and thirteen sheep were missing from the enclosure. The stolen animals are described as being of various colours and bearing distinctive orange tags on their ears.
After an unsuccessful search of the surrounding area, the distraught owner immediately reported the theft to the local police. The combined livestock are valued at approximately R46,000.
A manhunt for the suspects is currently underway. Police investigations are continuing, and authorities are appealing to the public for assistance.