Africa-Press – Angola. Traditional authorities in Cuvango, in the southern Huila province, have denounced the “frightening” increase in cattle theft from pastures and corrals, whose situation is exacerbating feelings of insecurity in villages.
Thieves are adopting a new modus operandi: instead of transporting live cattle to other locations, which is now more difficult due to permit requirements on national roads, they are slaughtering the animals in the bush and selling the meat in markets, which makes it more difficult to control its origin.
On Monday, the traditional authorities met with Cuvango administrator Luis Paulo Ndala to express their concerns. They stated that, despite the arrests made by the National Police, most of those involved are released within a few months.
At least six chieftains who spoke at the meeting said the perpetrators are known, and after being released, they return to their criminal activities, which exacerbates the tendency to take justice into their own hands.
The traditional authorities believe that the justice system weakens the fight against crime and undermines public trust in institutions by releasing suspects.
The administrator of Cuvango said that cattle theft has become a serious problem requiring firm and effective responses from the relevant authorities, having warned that the population could resort to vigilante justice if the problem continues to grow without concrete solutions, which could jeopardize public order and social stability in the communities.
Ndala stressed that the authorities’ main priority should be solving problems that directly affect communities, and that the justice system should deal with cases of cattle theft.
In the southern part of the country, cattle theft is a common and cultural occurrence that has increased in recent years. This is because the children who traditionally cared for the cattle in the pasture are not considered legitimate heirs.
When the father dies, the inheritance is given to his nephews, the children of his sister. This leads the descendants to rebel by stealing the animals that would rightfully be theirs.
In 2025, the municipal police received 113 complaints of cattle theft, six of which resulted in the deaths of shepherds because assaults occurred while the animals were grazing and firearms were used. During the same period, 23 thieves were arrested but not prosecuted.
Authorities report that more than 170 animals were stolen from corrals and pastures, 92 of which were recovered and returned to their owners.
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