25 Oct 2015

Residents of Block Six in Gaborone, which has been hit by a spate of crime and murder incidents, have formed one of the most vigilant and active community policing clusters in the country.

Just last week, prior to the murder of a prominent Gaborone resident who was gunned down, the Block Six community policing cluster bought a vehicle and three bicycles, and handed them over to the police for use in Block 6 only.

The chairperson of the Block Six community policing cluster, Ms Esther Letlhare said in an interview that it was shocking and disturbing that within a month, the area has witnessed another murder incident.

“It is really worrisome. All residents must now pull up their socks and raise their voice. Why in Block Six again? The way I see it, everybody in our locality is now traumatised,” she said.

She said her committee, a joint effort between the police and the community, was formed to achieve community policing. The Block Six neighbourhood watch currently has 15 cells, which report to the main cluster committee that she chairs.

She said the community was doing well in fighting crime in the area. She said the committee organised a sponsored walk.“The walk was organised in order to raise funds to support and drive crime prevention initiatives in Block Six. 

We also wanted to mobilise residents to participate in community policing and crime prevention programmes, and to sensitise them about the prevalence of crime in the area,” she said.

She said the Block Six crime prevention committee worked with the Gaborone West Police Station to raise funds for the vehicle and bicycles.

The chief walker was the Indian High Commissioner in Botswana. The vehicle was bought from funds raised during the sponsored walk.

She said the vehicle and bicycles would be used to patrol the Block Six area, adding that they have started a crime prevention communication group on Whatsapp, a social media application.

The crime prevention group is meant to share tips and updates on the crime situation in the locality.

She said they would soon launch wake–up patrols, an alert service that would keep everyone vigilant at all times so as to prevent crime.

She urged the people of Block Six and Botswana in general to stand up and fight crime by not only forming neighbourhood watch committees, but also by using them effectively.

She added that it was important for neighbours to know each other. 

“Saying good morning means a lot. It can help ease communications in fighting crime,” she urged.

She said they would continue to do their best and to work closely with the police to fight crime.  

“As madam chair for my area, I wish to encourage Block Six residents to rally behind the police in the fight against crime because without assistance, the police alone cannot win this war,” she said. ENDS