Farmers warned to look out for fraudsters and deals that seem too good to be true

Fraud happens everywhere, even in the agriculture sector, where many negotiations rely on relationships and goodwill. Glenneis Kriel reports on the situation and how to safeguard yourself against such crimes.

Eastern Cape farmer Wentzel Lombard made headlines in January when the Nxuba Magistrate’s Court sentenced him to 36 months of correctional supervision for selling cows that he falsely claimed were in calf. Of the 191 cows, sold at R14 000 each, only 105 were actually in calf, which, according to the buyer, Albertus Steenkamp, resulted in a loss of over R1 million. Lombard, who was found guilty in September 2024, will also be required to complete 576 hours of community service as a general labourer at a local community centre in Nxuba, pay R100 000 to Steenkamp within a year, and received a suspended seven-year prison sentence, provided he does not commit a similar crime involving dishonesty within the next five years. Farmer’s Weekly has learnt of similar incidents across…

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Farmer's Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, 7 February 2025

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