Buhleni – A community grazing project in Mpofu remains stalled following the alleged theft of 22 rolls of steel fencing worth E86 350, with five rolls still missing and the recovered material being held at a police station.
Menzi Dlamini, 33, and Celani Nelson Masilela, 34, both of Mpofu area, are accused of stealing the fencing from a storeroom at Mpofu on or about July 15, 2026.
The two appeared before Magistrate Cebsile Ngwenya at Buhleni Circuit Court, where they were charged with theft. They were each granted bail fixed at E3 000.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly acted jointly or in furtherance of a common purpose when they unlawfully and intentionally stole 22 rolls of veld fencing measuring 18x150x100 centimetres. The fencing, valued at E86 350, was the property of, or in the lawful possession of, Sgcino Sabelo Qwabe.
Qwabe, chairman of the Asibemunye community project, told the court that the fencing was intended for a grazing-land project funded through Microprojects.
He said the loss was discovered the morning after the storeroom had allegedly been broken into. The incident has affected progress on the project, as the recovered fencing remains at the police station as an exhibit.
Of the 22 rolls allegedly stolen, 17 have been recovered, leaving five unaccounted for.
The project was intended to fence community grazing land, but the theft and the continued retention of the recovered material as evidence have left the initiative unable to proceed as planned.
The matter was postponed to October 28, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
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