Integrating Conventional and Technological Methods for Combating Stock Theft in South Africa

1. PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR INTEGRATING CONVENTIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS OF COMBATING STOCK THEFT IN SOUTH AFRICA by DR. Maluleke, WInternational Rural Crime Conference27 September 2017

2. 1. INTRODUCTION Different technologies can be used as important instruments to combat stock theft and are becoming increasingly important component of the Criminal Justice System (CJS). The value of using technologies in combating stock theft is not clear to most livestock farmers, instead of using these applications they revert to using conventional methods, such as brand-marking and tattooing, with more emphasis placed on the current legislative framework of the Stock Theft Act (Act No. 57 of 1959) and Animal Identification Act (Act No. 6 of 2002) Age of Animals at the time of Marking (Regulation No. 11), Meat Safety Act (Act No. 40 of 2000) and Safety hints, while invalidating the use of technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Wireless Sensor Node / Network (WSN) - Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), and ZigBee. The effective use of technologies in combating stock theft can provide a positive and significant contribution to ensuring the safety and protection of livestock, as well as the economies of South African livestock farming communities. Furthermore, Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology where hair samples (a source of DNA) are collected from individual animals and stored in the laboratory as a reference samples can be also adopted. Even if there is no reference sample available, conviction is still possible if DNA from blood, bloodstains, meat or other tissue found on the suspect’s clothes, tools that were used or meat found in his possession (National Stock Theft Prevention Forum, 2015:35).

3. 2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM When comparing the livestock losses for 2013/14 with the annual gross income from the Red Meat Sector for 2013/14, it can be seen that the gross income could have been increased by approximately 2.3% if stock theft could have been combated (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry [DAFF] (2013). Uys (2017) highlights that stock theft in South Africa currently costs the livestock industry approximately R500 million a year. Stock theft has increased 2% for the period April 2016 to December 2016, compared to the period between April 2015 and December 2015. This was according to statistics recently released by the South African Police Service [SAPS] (Phillips, 2017). Statistical, these recent statistics indicated that stock theft had increased from 21 409 reported cases for April 2015 to December 2015 to 21 847 cases for the current period. The latest stock theft figure was, however, lower than the 22 066 reported cases for the period April 2014 to December 2014. The statistical data on stock theft: worst ten precincts in 2016 in the selected areas of KZN Province reveals the following [in order of prevalence] (overleaf): Utrecht (162), Amangwe (151), Bulwer (148), Ezakheni (139), Bergville (134), Impendle (126), Ntabamhlope (123), Ladysmith (117), Escort (114) and Osizweni (102) (Crime Stats South Africa, 2015).

4. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM CONTI … • Stock-theft: Worst ten precincts in 2016, national (Source: Crime Statistics South Africa, 2015)

5. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM CONTI … The following lists the provinces and the number of reported stock theft cases for April 2016 to December 2016: KZN: 5 213 - Eastern Cape: 4 986 - Free State: 3 021 - North West: 2 396 - Mpumalanga: 2 273 - Limpopo: 1 472 - Northern Cape: 1 036 - Gauteng: 742 Western Cape: 708 (Phillips, 2017) In the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum (NSTPF) January 2017 statement, the forum’s chairperson, Willie Clack, said that approximately R819 million worth of cattle, sheep and goats were stolen during the 2015/16 financial year. Clack told Farmer’s Weekly (in Phillips, 2017) that Statistics South Africa had found that by 2015 only 32% of livestock theft cases were being reported to police. Uys (2017) interviewing Mort Mortassagne indicates that many thieves do their best to change the appearance of livestock shortly after it has been stolen. Typically, they dehorn, cut off tattooed ears, remove ear tags, or smudge brand marks with a hot spade or other object (conventional methods). However, DNA (technology) and circumstantial evidence, prosecutors can reconstruct a case successfully and secure a conviction. This need some understanding of stock handling methods, as well as the correct usage of livestock farming terminology. The prosecutor therefore has to link evidence to an animal whose appearance may have been changed, or to a farm that may be kilometres away from where animals or parts of animals have been found. Thus, being able to match wool, ear notches, branding, dehorning methods, castration and age to stolen livestock is crucial.

6. 3. PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND QUESTION OF THE STUDY • The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the integration of conventional and technological methods in combating of stock theft in South Africa in general and KZN Province in particular • The objectives of this study was to optimise the integration of conventional and technological methods in combating of stock theft in the selected areas of KZN Province, South Africa by: • Determining the methods and techniques used by the SAPS and livestock farmers to combat stock theft in the selected areas of KZN Province; • Developing a conceptual framework on integration of conventional and technological methods in combating of stock theft in the selected areas of KZN Province. • Research question • How can integration of conventional and technological methods effectively combat stock theft in the selected areas of KZN Province

7. 4. STUDY CONTRIBUTIONS • This study finds there is a serious gaps in the use of DNA technology in combating stock theft and its effectiveness. The gaps are both: • Conceptual Contribution (Refer to figure 1) - This study also contributed to the body of knowledge by developing a new stock theft combating technological conceptual framework for application in South Africa - Figure 1: Schematic representation - Source: Researcher’s illustrations • Empirical Contribution

8. THE PRACTICAL INTEGRATION OF CONVENTIONAL METHODS WITH DNA TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT STOCK THEFT

9. 5. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY • Approach: • The research adopted qualitative research approach. • Study population, sample size and selection: • The population for the study consisted of 49 participants to explore strategies on the use of technologies in combating stock theft in the selected areas within KZN Province. This was distributed as follows: (2) Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF – Key Informant Interviews - KII) officials, (15) SAPS STUs members, including the SAPS STUs Provincial Coordinator (3 KIIs and 1 Focus Group Discussions’ FGDs - Ladysmith), (24:8) livestock farmers (3 FGDs), (5) Anti-Stock Theft associations’ managers (KII) and (3) Community Policing Forums (CPFs) leaders (KII). The sample was purposively selected from three areas in the KZN province, namely: Utrecht (Newcastle), Ladysmith and Bulwer (Pietermaritzburg) including the above mentioned stakeholders.

10. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY CONTI … • Methods of data collection: • Documentary study focusing on analysing and interpreting the South African Acts with the World Organisation for Animal Health standards. Semi-structured in-depth interviews was adopted for both FGDs and KIIs. A voice recorder and field notes were used to supplement information gathering during the interviews. • Data analysis: • The data was analysed according to the thematic method by reducing data into themes, sub-themes and categorise and transcribe it verbatim to facilitated the process of data reduction.

11. 6. ANALYSIS OF KEY STUDY THEMES THEME 1: Common usage of conventional methods to combat stock theft. THEME 2: Limited utilisation of various technologies in combating stock theft and a delay in obtaining DNA evidence feedback from the responsible laboratories. THEME 3: Inadequate knowledge and application of the use of various technologies and DNA evidence.

12. 7. RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE IDENTIFIED STUDY THEMES • THEME 1: The study recommend the use of conventional methods with latest technologies, such as RFID (Botswana and Swaziland - Livestock Identification Trace-back System to monitor the entire national cattle population – Three digital tagging systems / Electronic Identification - Injected microchip, Digital ear-tag and Reticular bolus ), Wi-Fi, WSN, ZigBee for livestock monitoring and DNA technology for investigation, policing and evidence value. A single use of these methods cannot effectively combat stock theft. Find Me Cattle (R3200 = 1:20 – Move in groups), Sheep, Goats (R1750 = 1:10 – Move in isolation) and Find Me Cattle [three – 3 years battery lifespan (R250-300 Cattle – R150- 200 – Sheep and Goats) – Use solar panel to charge] as introduced by Find Me Security Technology, who are also willing to do a presentation to the SAPS and other relevant stakeholders on some of the latest technologies to combat stock theft. Alarms for kraals in rural areas and the Super Sensor (planted underground) to detect any weapon within a specific location.

13. RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE IDENTIFIED STUDY THEMES CONTI… • THEME 2: It is highly advised for the livestock farmers to uses different technologies for proactive and reactive policing of stock theft in conjunction with the conventional methods and the SAPS management should reconsider the single use of Animal Research Council (ARC) laboratory as their efficiency and capacity is questioned. During the fieldwork, the livestock farmers indicated a need for the establishments of an Stock Theft Forensic Laboratory (STFL) in the KZN areas in order to avoid the long distances they have to travel to submit the DNA evidence in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria, other than ARC. They did not shy away from the fact that KZN should be prioritised in this regard. On the positive side, the University of Pretoria and other private companies were acknowledged to be quick in providing the required feedback to the affected parties. • THEME 3: The study recommends that more SAPS STUs members be trained specifically in the use of various technologies and each STU in the KZN Province selected areas should have a designated technology experts working closely with the local livestock farmers and relevant forensic laboratories across the country for effective DNA evidence analsis.

14. 8. CONCLUSION Integration procedures - Every animal is unique, and stock handling can leave distinct marks on individual animals. These two facts can be used by law enforcement officers to prosecute stock thieves effectively - Every animal is unique and will have [some] permanent marks from being handled over the years. These can all be used for identification purposes to link stolen livestock to their owners’ herds,” an expert witness on stock theft cases reveals (Mort Mortassagne - cattle farmer, former policeman and expert witness in over 900 stock theft cases - on “How to catch a stock thief”, 2017). The evolution of stock theft (Some thieves slaughter animals immediately for their own use, others slaughter animals for the purpose of selling the meat, while still others steal livestock to build their own herds or sell stolen livestock at auctions) Reporting of stock theft