Lothair – Local authorities in Lothair intercepted a Toyota Hilux bakkie towing a trailer loaded with suspected stolen cattle.
Upon reaching the Lothair Police Station, one person jumped out of the bakkie and fled into a nearby wooded area.
Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane mentioned that the officers acted on a tip-off when they stopped the bakkie on Monday, July 13, 2026.
The other occupant was arrested at the scene after failing to provide any documentation proving ownership of the five cows in the trailer.
Lieutenant Colonel Ndubane indicated that police deployed drones and tracking dogs to locate the fleeing suspect, but their efforts were in vain.
She confirmed that the livestock, bakkie, and trailer have been seized by the police as the investigation continues.
It is still unclear whether the transportation of the cattle breached strict regulations governing cattle movement designed to curb the spread of the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease.
The arrested 26-year-old individual is scheduled to appear in the Chief Albert Luthuli Magistrate’s Court on charges of stock theft.
