South African farmers — large and small scale — are invited to take part in a new Unisa study that aims to uncover how they are fighting back against livestock theft — a crime that costs rural communities millions of rand each year and threatens food security.
Willie Clack, a senior lecturer in criminal justice at the University of South Africa (Unisa), told TimesLIVE Premium on Thursday that the project has been formally endorsed by the Red Meat Industry Services and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“Stock theft is one of the most persistent rural crimes in South Africa. It undermines livelihoods, endangers farmers and erodes trust between communities and law enforcement. Despite decades of policing efforts and the establishment of the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum (NSTPF), recovery rates for stolen animals remain low and reliable national statistics are scarce,” Clack said this week.
“The big question is whether community engagement has had, or is having, any impact on the occurrence of stock theft,” Clack said.
South Africa is one of few countries uniquely situated to provide answers.
“It is only former British colonies that classify stock theft as a crime on its own. In most other countries, though they may call it ‘cattle rustling’ or ‘cattle lifting’, it will just be classified as theft.”
Clack needs rural voices.
“While many commercial farmers complain about stock theft, it is clear from published statistics that the informal agricultural sector are by far the biggest victims. If we look at the 2017 agriculture census, which was published in 2021, and we compare its figures to published police statistics, only about 13% of the victims of stock thefts in 2017 were VAT registered farmers. The other 87% are small scale and informal farmers or farmers on small holdings. So either people lied to the census takers, or they did not register cases with the police,” Clack said.
“We want the voices of that 13% but also the rest. We need to know what is working in fighting stock theft and what isn’t working.”
“The research team invites input from all key stakeholders involved in livestock theft prevention and response, including:
- Farmers — commercial, smallholder and communal/subsistence producers;
- Law-enforcement and justice sector — SAPS Stock Theft Detective Services, rural policing units and prosecutors handling stock-theft cases;
- Private security providers — farm-watch groups and security firms engaged in livestock protection;
- Community safety stakeholders — members of livestock theft prevention forums, agricultural unions, and extension officers.
“Anyone playing a role in livestock theft prevention, investigation, or recovery is encouraged to complete the questionnaire or participate in follow-up interviews,” Clack said.
The study investigates:
- Farmers’ perceptions of livestock theft trends, risk factors and community impacts;
- The effectiveness of recovery rates as a measure of police and community engagement;
- Preventive strategies used by farmers and local safety networks;
- The perceived role and impact of the NSTPF in curbing stock theft.
“Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines a nationwide questionnaire distributed via WhatsApp, email and local farmer networks with in-depth thematic analysis of farmers’ experiences,” Clack said.
Timeline:
- September 2025 until mid-October 2025 national data collection
- November 2025: data analysis and reporting
- February 2026: publication of the final report and submission to an academic journal special issue on Police Community Engagement and Evidence-Based Crime Reduction Strategies
“The project holds ethical clearance from the University of South Africa’s College of Law Research Ethics Review Committee. SAPS has granted official permission for participation by its stock theft units, and the RMIS supports the study as part of its Red Meat Industry Strategy 2020,” Clack said.
He believes the study to be important work.
“Livestock theft is not just a policing problem — it’s a rural security and economic stability problem,” said Clack. “By capturing farmers’ real experiences and measuring recovery rates, we hope to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations that strengthen community — police partnerships.”
Results of the study will be shared with policymakers, agricultural unions and local safety forums, with the aim of driving smarter, community-centred strategies to reduce livestock theft across South Africa.
Readers from the farming world who wish to participate can click here.
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