The Virginia rural safety co-ordinator caught three suspected livestock thieves slaughtering a stolen cow.
Nkosinathi Mdingi (46), Teboho Mphafi (46), and Tshehlakhati Lekhanya (32) appeared in court on 31 October for possession of presumably suspected stolen livestock, and the case was postponed until 6 November for bail information.
The three suspects were caught red-handed slaughtering one of the cows at a farm in Virginia on Saturday, 28 October, after the co-ordinator received a tip-off on the matter.
The rural safety officers and Odendaalsrus stock theft officers spotted the suspects at a river bank slaughtering a cow. Two suspects were arrested, while the third escaped.
The Virginia visible policing officers were called to the scene and with the help of the community, the third suspect was traced and caught near the Goosen farm.
The officers recovered the slaughtered cow, three Brangus cattle including a calf, two heads of Brangus cattle, knives, pangas, and home-made spears.
The owner of livestock from the Loidgedaght farm near Welkom identified his cattle, as seven were stolen from his farm.
An additional charge of stock theft will be added against the three arrested suspects.
