08 Mar 2017

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development says it is aware that environmental offences particularly illegal dumping of waste occurs during both working hours and at odd times.
Answering a question in Parliament, Assistant Minister Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said this cannot be attributed to the restrictive nature of working hours of the bye-law enforcement officers but rather the complexity of the offence and behaviour of offenders themselves.
She said offenders appear to have developed an informal communication network among themselves to alert each other of the presence of enforcement officers, thereby circumventing operations.
Ms Tshireletso further said trends also show that illegal dumping of waste is most rampant during the day than at odd times.
“’In response to this, my ministry occasionally authorises overtime payment for inspection operations, but we mostly rely on the support from other law enforcement agencies, particularly Botswana Police Service, who are always instrumental, visible and facilitative in the enforcement of the law, in the very same manner they do in enforcing all other Acts,” she said.
She noted that the ministry had not been able to subject bye-law enforcement cadre to shifts due to shortage of manpower to operationalise shifts.
“We shall however in the long run close the gap by rationalising non-core vacancies to create enforcement positions,” she concluded.
Specially Elected Member of Parliament, Mr Mephato Reatile had asked the minister if she was aware that environmental offences, particularly illegal dumping of waster occur at odd times and that bye-law enforcement officers were unable to combat this problem because of the restrictive nature of working hours (7.30am-1630pm) for this cadre, as any time worked beyond accrues overtime which the ministry is unable to pay.
He also asked if this is so, would the minister consider adjustment of bye-law enforcement officers’ conditions of service such that they work on shifts like the Fire Department and Botswana Police Service Officers. ENDS