13 Jan 2015

Soaring cattle theft, triggered the police to introduce zonal branding.

The composition of the exercise intended to abate cattle theft is a regional code followed by the cattle owner national identity number (omang) for Botswana residents or passport number for nonresidents, Serowe police officer, Inspector Bopelo Ntatiwa has revealed.

Inspector Ntatiwa, who said the Serowe region code was BB, stated that branding should be permanent so that it would be easy to identify the stolen animals and curb theft.

He explained that they use the omang number/passport number because of their unique numbers, adding that most Batswana possessed omang.

When one relocates from the region, he said there was no need to rebrand the already branded animals.

He was speaking during a kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi at Moiyabana recently.

Giving updates about the satellite police station that the village had requested, Inspector Ntatiwa said the process was ongoing as the tendering process to supply caravans that would be used as offices was being done.

Concerning engagement of special constables in their village, he said he would escalate the issue to the station commander. Residents raised concern about the growing trend of crime in their area and requested for a satellite police station.

Poor performance of students in the region was also a source of discomfort for residents.

They said some parents were dragging their feet in their children’s education, saying some have neglected them as they spend most of their time at the lands and cattle posts without attending school. ENDS