The Sunday News
Gwanda Correspondent
LIVESTOCK farmers have called on the courts to pass stiffer sentences on people who vandalise fences along the country’s highways as the offence has resulted in loss of lives. The call by farmers was supported by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Livestock), Cde Paddy Zhanda, who said stricter penalties should be imposed on theft of fences especially along the highways.
“The issue of vandalism of fences is being treated like a minor offence where someone is just sentenced to do community service. The sentences are not deterrent.
“This is an issue that needs co-operation from other ministries such as Home Affairs and Ministry of Justice,” he said.
Cde Zhanda said communities also had a role to play in reducing vandalism of fences by exposing culprits who live within their communities.
“In communities that we live in, we know who is a thief but we seem to be naive. We really should assist ourselves before we ask others to assist us,” said Cde Zhanda.
Farmers said while drought had claimed most of their animals, theft of fences along the highways had worsened their predicament as vehicles are killing their livestock on the roads.
Stray cattle have posed danger to motorists resulting in loss of human lives at times.
Cde Zhanda also criticised livestock farmers for failing to look after their animals well.
“Surely, where is the passion of being a livestock farmer when you don’t know where your cattle or goats are? Let us take livestock farming as a very serious business,” he said.
Civil Service Commissioner Clara Siphiwe Nondo, who is also a farmer, said they were suffering as farmers as thieves continued to steal fences from their farms but with nothing much being done by the law.
She said a sentence of community service on vandals was too lenient and serious penalties were needed to deter others from committing the offence.
Comm Nondo said animals were also at risk of contracting infectious diseases as they moved from place to place.
