Seven cows of a local cattle farmer, Mr Micheal Ngwenya of Bungeni, were stolen and slaughtered while they were grazing in the bush last Friday evening.

After an unsuccessful search for the missing cattle, Ngwenya mobilised community members to help find the remains of the cattle or the thugs. They later found the skins, heads and parts of the intestines of the cattle in the bush.

"It was like losing my children because I've raised these cows for years," Ngwenya said. He said someone was selling beef and enriching himself while the owners of the cattle are suffering.

“This has become a nightmare for everyone who has invested in livestock in the area. The thieves got away with the meat of seven cattle. Now, nobody knows who did it. Livestock is part of our village strategy to fight poverty and unemployment. If our daily bread is taken away from us, how are we going to survive?” he asked. He added that the value of the cattle was more than R800 000 and appealed to anyone with information to contact him or report the matter to the police.

Waterval SAPS spokesperson W/O Foster Rambau said they were investigating a case of stock theft. “We are therefore appealing to members of the community to come forward with information which might lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. We can’t go on like this,” said Rambau.

It’s believed the incident took place in the early hours of Saturday.