22 Nov 2016

The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi, says the strategies, programmes and projects under Chapter 8 of the National Development Plan (NDP) 11 aimed at enhancing good governance, transparency, accountability and the rule of law, as well as strengthening national security, territorial integrity, sovereignty, public safety and protection.

Presenting Chapter 8 of the draft NDP 11 in Parliament on Monday, Minister Kgathi said the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) would need adequate resources to remain efficient and effective during the plan period.

He said to achieve this, there was need to address issues of defence capability, obsolescence, and other pertinent issues like housing and reviewing of the BDF Act. The minister further said the regulation of the Private Security Services would be enhanced and standard minimum rules set to ensure that the nation was protected against malpractice in this industry.

“Currently a total of over 4000 private security companies have registered around the country.

I am happy to indicate many of them have been able to take up contracts offered under government outsourcing programme, hence the need for effective regulation,” he said.

Mr Kgathi said resources would also be made available for improving police capability and police visibility would be enhanced by putting facilities such as police posts and acquisition of vehicles.

“One of the innovations envisaged in NDP 11 in terms of further enhancing police visibility would be the use CCTV under the concept of Safer City and the expansion of police posts coverage,” he said.

The minister said the police would play an important role in the implementation of the Botswana national Road Transport Safety Strategy which focused on safe road users, safer vehicles and safer roads, strengthening legislation to address the current road safety usage challenges, and the use of technology to improve safety on roads.

Mr Kgathi further said he aimd to release police officers to do their core mandate of policing as opposed to manning traffic lights on a day to day basis.

He said he intended to develop Service level Agreements with relevant ministries relating to supporting and sponsoring any aspects of their roles which have over the years been performed by the Botswana Police Service.

The minister said they would implement strategies as indicated in the Chapter for implementing the public security Acts inter-alia, Anti-Human Trafficking Act, Counter-Terrorism Act, Proceeds and Instruments of Crime, Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act, money laundering as well as cybercrime.

This, he said, would be done through strengthening the relevant structures such as the establishment of the office of the Receiver, capacitating the Financial Intelligence Agency, establishment of structures for dealing with human trafficking and monitoring and tracking the movement of chemicals in the country that have potential of contributing to the proliferation of chemical weapons

Another major security concern related to growing global migration and refugee population which was beginning to affect Sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana.

The minister has meanwhile said two courts would be constructed in Kasane and Serowe between financial years 2020/21 and 2022/23.

He said the Administration of Justice would roll out some of the ICT systems important for Case Registration Management System (CRMS) such as the expansion of the Wi-Fi coverage, procurement of the courts library management system and e-filing.

“It is my belief that these systems as well as additional manpower will lead to the eradication of backlog of cases at any stage in the continuum of justice delivery chain,” he said.

Minister Kgathi has asked Parliament to approve P22.2 billion to be approved as a budget for the entire six year NDP 11 period.

Chapter 8 of the NDP 11 addresses Governance, Safety and Security and covers different ministries and departments such as the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security, Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation, Attorney General Chambers and Administration of Justice.BOPA