Plumtree villagers lose cattle due to damaged border fence

Villagers in Ward 16, Dombodema and Dombolefu areas of Bulilima District, Plumtree, are losing cattle due to a damaged fence on the Zimbabwe-Botswana border.

The fence is believed to be compromised by both cross-border smugglers and elephants.

Smugglers use the route or damaged fence to sneak cigarettes out of the country, while also bringing in fuel, various goods and in some cases, cars.

The damaged fence causes some livestock to stray into the neighbouring country where Botswana officials shoot them while cattle rustlers also move stolen livestock to Botswana.

In the last four years, around forty villagers have reported that their cattle has been stolen or lost, with the majority of the reports coming from areas closest to the border.

However, most of the locals appeared to be frightened to talk openly about the smuggling, with some claiming that the smugglers frequently rented out other villagers' homes.

In an interview with CITE, Mandile Muda Vundla of Village 19 said she lost 17 cows four years ago that were shot in Botswana.

Vundla does not know how their cattle ended up there and suspects rustlers.

"It is quite some distance from our village to the border, also making it hard for cattle to go there. We suspect some people drove the cattle there because, at that time, we were feeding them well so the cattle did not go there for grazing," she said.

Vundla said she and her husband received a call from authorities in Botswana notifying them that they would shoot their cattle.

"They were able to locate us after seeing the tags on our cattle. We went to Botswana and tried to recover our cattle but the authorities refused. They only gave us the cattle bells," she said.

"From 17 cattle, we received nothing. The authorities there had already prepared firewood, meaning after shooting they would burn them. Our only request was for them to shoot the cattle after we had left."

Vundla said after that act, the family was devastated as the cattle were their livelihood.

"I felt my BP rising," she said, urging authorities to fix that fence.

"If cattle can go into Botswana it means the fence has holes in it. I however cannot speak about smuggling but if people say it happens then it must be."

Phumlani Moyo of Village 17 who works in South Africa said his 18 cattle disappeared this year in February, having lost 16  goats last year in November.

"Some of the cattle were pregnant and I reported the theft to the police at Nswazi," he said, adding he heard that before the livestock went missing, someone came to photograph them while they were drinking at the nearby dam.

"People are stealing our cattle. We know who took them but I don't have evidence."

According to Moyo, cattle rustlers drive livestock to Botswana and keep them there, even creating pastures.

"Some of the cattle are sold to butcheries in Plumtree. We know some butchers that sell meat from stolen cattle," he claimed.

Moyo also accused local police of colluding with the rustlers, questioning how trucks could operate at night.

"Trucks move around 2 am. How is that allowed? If you check there will be police officers inside those trucks and you can't stop them," he claimed.

Moyo warned this situation would cause rifts in the communities if uncurbed.

"One woman in Nswazi village lost all the nine cattle she owned and now she's suffering from BP," he said.

Moyo's father, Sduli Moyo, added that when he and others went to search for their missing cattle near the border, they were confronted by police who threatened to arrest them.

"It was unfortunate for us because we were looking for our missing livestock," he said.

Moyo also said some villagers had also lost their "donkeys, goats, dogs" which they suspected to be stolen.

The Moyo family suspects one local who owns a gun and brandishes it in public.

"It seems the police are afraid of this person," said the senior.

Village Committee Crime Chairperson Ward 16 under Dombodema Bishop Ndlovu of Village 19 called on the government and police to act on the smugglers.

"We want crime to be reduced because those who are smuggling along the Zimbabwe and Botswana border are allowing cattle to go through and people end up losing them. About 30 to 40 villagers have lost their cattle," he said.

"The government must intervene and fix the fence."

Ndlovu claimed while some villagers blame elephants for destroying the border fence, humans primarily cut it.

"They smuggle fuel and cigarettes. Relevant authorities should address this," he said.

Ward 16 councillor, Makhadi Moyo confirmed that several families have lost their cattle that enter Botswana.

She cited both possibilities that the border fence was destroyed by elephants and smugglers.

"We are next to the border and elephants destroy the fence when crossing. There are many elephants here to Nswazi since we are in the bush," Moyo said.

The councillor said some lucky villagers who had lost their cattle had found them if they went searching for them in Botswana.

"We also have cattle that also come to this side but it's rare for the Batswana to come searching for them," she said.

The councillor also confirmed that smuggling was rife in the area.

"We are neighbours with Botswana and with the drought in this country, we can't rule it out. People don't sleep, that's their job, they smuggle cigarettes and fuel daily. We can't run away from it," Moyo said, adding that stopping smuggling would not be easy as that sustained many households.

"It's hard to prevent smuggling because people are a part of it. We don't provide refuge for smugglers but you know how it is when people are hungry. Smugglers can hire locals to help them carry their goods."

The councillor also urged the government to fix the border fence.

Reached for comment, Matabeleland South Provincial Police Spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena said she will ask her office to verify with police in Plumtree.

"You can then call us after," she said.