BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
A woman from Jambezi near Victoria Falls lost 15 herd of catle to suspected cross border cattle rustlers after their spoors was traced to the Zambezi River bank.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Glory Banda said the cattle belonging to Beauty Ncube (44) of Sidinda Village 2 under Chief Shana went missing on October 23.
Their spoors were tracked the Kemabondo, a crossing area into Zambia.
Banda said Sibanda’s 25 herd of cattle were released from the kraal on October 23 at around 10AM by her son Mickel Ndlovu (20), who drove them to the Sidinda grazing area and left them unattended.
On the same day at around 3PM, Ndlovu discovered that 15 cattle were missing from the herd.
“He searched for them until he returned home around 8.30PM with only 10 and notified his mother,” Banda said.
“On the following day around 6AM, Sibanda’s son proceeded to Lumbora in Sidinda and continued searching.
“The spoors led him to the grazing lands along the Zambezi River near the Kemabondo crossing area, but he could not locate the missing cattle.”
He added: “The missing cattle are as follows , two black and white steers with small horns, one brown and white steer with small horns, one brown steer with horns pointing sideways, one brown cow with horns pointing upwards with a bell, one brown hornless cow with a bell, one brown cow with white spots and horns pointing to the front, one black and white cow with a bell and horns pointing upwards, one brown and white heifer with horns pointing upwards, and black and white heifer with small horns pointing sideways, one brown heifer with horns pointing backwards , one brown female calf with white belly and a spot on its forehead, one male brown calf with white spots, one brown female calf and one female brown calf with white spots.”
In the past, some village heads in the Jambezi area have claimed that cattle rustlers from Zambia are in the habit of raiding their livestock.
Villagers say the Zambians invade their kraals or grazing lands armed with guns.
Banda appealed to members of the public to report to their nearest police station if they have information or seen anyone selling the identified cows.