Mokhotlong April 12 — The Mokhotlong Police Station through Stocktheft division together with the Department of Livestock Markings held a gathering to sensitise the public on Stocktheft Act of 2000 as amended in 2003 and the Stocktheft Regulations of 2004.
The public gathering that took place in Mokhotlong town on Wednesday focused mainly on livestock registration and markings.
Inspector Ts’olo Molibeli from Stocktheft Division said the police are on a campaign to address the community about livestock registration and markings with a view to fight against stocktheft, which is a major crime in the district and the country as a whole.
He said the campaign to remind Basotho about these legal documents has been prompted by the realisation that there are livestock owners who have not registered their stock while others have not fully marked their livestock.
He said according to the Stocktheft Act, “A person who owns or possesses stock shall mark or cause to be marked the stock, for purposes of identification, in a form of earmarking, and branding or tattooing”.
Inspector Molibeli added that such markings should be done in the presence of the chief who will then enter the livestock into the master stock register.
He said every livestock should have three markings for it to be fully marked and therefore advised the owners to ensure they abide by the Act so as to address the challenge of stock theft faced by the country.
One of the Livestock Markings employee under the Ministry of Home Affairs Mr. Sethejana Kao said all livestock should be registered and marked for purposes of identification and stock theft control.
Mr. Kao said livestock owners are given until the end of this month to ensure their stock has been fully marked.
He said that they have offices in different parts of the country in all the districts.
One of the farmers Mr. Kamoho Motloli commended both the police and livestock markers for reminding the public about the Act formulated to combat stock theft in the country.
Similar gatherings have already been held in other parts of the district.
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