06 Jun 2013

Botswana Police Service will in future partner with non-governmental organisations and security companies to educate people about theft, security and other issues of crime.

Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse said the intention was to sensitise people in order to be vigilant of criminal activities at all times and avoid falling prey to criminals.

Mr Seretse, who is also a Member of Parliament for Serowe North East, was addressing a kgotla meeting in Gojwane on June 3. He commended residents for low crime rate, saying the increased number of police officers in the village had contributed positively to the reduction. 

Minister Seretse urged youth to play a role in combating crime by working hand in hand with the police. “Youth should unite with police to enforce the law to promote a crime free environment,” he said. He also encouraged youth to utilise the youth empowerment schemes availed by government to uplift their livelihoods.  He encouraged them to apply for land to start viable farming projects.

Gojwane Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Mr Daniel Opelokgale commended the government for constructing four houses for destitute people in the village. He said through Ipelegeng, they managed to erect a drift fence and clear the village soccer field.

Mr Opelokgale said residents had benefitted from the poverty eradication project under the alternative packages programme and had set up tuck shops and poultry projects. The VDC chairperson requested for renovation of the community hall and grading of Serule-Gojwane road, which he said was in a bad state.

For his part, Water Utilities Corporation official, Mr Robert Kaphepha said they had increased stand pipe numbers in Gojwane from five to seven, which were operating on a prepaid system basis to control water usage.

He was hopeful that completion of the water pipeline from Selebi Phikwe reservoirs would address the water shortage problem. An ISPAAD officer, Mr Thabo Motlalenkwe informed residents that they had been provided with one tractor for ploughing, saying they still faced shortage of tractors and encouraged farmers to purchase tractors to take advantage of the programme.  

He briefed them about the revised ISPAAD guidelines in which small scale and commercial farmers’ assistance had been improved. ENDS