08 Oct 2015

The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security police liaison officer Assistant Commissioner Moore Gondo has said that the gruesome effects of human trafficking can be devastating to families. Mr Gondo said during a courtesy call at the Moshupa kgotla that there is a need to sensitise the general public about the phenomenon.

Trafficking of persons has been perceived globally as a new form of slavery that disrupts families and communities and threatens human security and dignity. In Botswana, an anti-trafficking law was enacted in January this year.

Mr Gondo’s delegation also met the family of Mr Motona Sekhobe, a human trafficking victim who went missing on December 4, 1974 aged eight years. He was only reunited with family and relatives in December 2015.

He is said to have spent all his life in South Africa where he worked as a farm labourer.

Assistant Commissioner Gondo said his visit was prompted by harrowing newspaper reports of bickering by the family following Mr Sekhobe’s return from South Africa.

“These are the results of a typical human trafficking case where there are challenges of acceptance by concerned parties following the reunion of victims with their families,” he said, adding that such challenges negate family integration.

He stated that there have been similar cases in Masunga and Mmopane where his ministry moved swiftly to reconcile families that have been affected by human trafficking.

A community development officer handling the case, Ms Ghandi Lombala, told the meeting that at the time of Mr Sekhobe’s return, the family did not have any problems.

She said it was only later that disputes erupted, and Mr Sekhobe sought refuge elsewhere.

“Some members of the family do not want Motona. We have since intervened by way of applying for a residential plot for him, which was allotted two weeks ago. We have also presented to him a number of welfare programs to choose from,” she said.

Kgosi Oscar Mosielele, who has been pivotal in trying to bring stability to the family, expressed displeasure at the way the Sekhobe family dispute has been handled by authorities.

He called for a cohesive and effective dispute resolution structure that could help embrace Mr Sekhobe while fostering peace and harmony in the family.

Thus far, Kgosi Mosielele has facilitated the acquisition of 45 bags of cement from well-wishers towards the building of a two-roomed house for Mr Sekhobe.

“Many more people, including supportive family members, have pledged to contribute building materials and help raise P10 000 towards the construction of the house,” he said.

During a closed door meeting, it was also agreed that the department of Social and Community Development in Moshupa should continue providing psycho-social support to the family and brief the leadership and the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security weekly and fortnightly respectively. Ends