16 May 2018

The principle of Botho springs to mind at the mention of the name, Botswana. It is a concept, which together with Democracy, Development, Self-Reliance and Unity, forms the nucleus of what has become of Botswana.

However, the surge of illicit drugs, which is fast gaining traction within the society and in the process leaving a trail of harrowing stories, has the potential to destroy this basic tenet that has held Batswana together for years. 

A society that used to stand on moral high ground is fast losing the principle of Botho to substance abuse.

The story of the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security and Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Mr Patrick Ralotsia who on Monday addressed kgotla meetings in Lekgolobotlo and Ntlhantlhe villages in the Southern District paints an even darker picture about the extent of the problem. 

Just this past weekend, Minister Ralotsia happened to be among hordes of mourners who attended a funeral at Lekgolobotlo to pay last respects to a fallen friend, relative and fellow Motswana and proffer condolences to the aggrieved family. 

As per the custom, he was accorded an opportunity to share albeit briefly with mourners, government’s position on a few socio-economic development issues.  Minster Ralotsia also took moment to speak strongly against rampant use of drugs bedeviling the nation. 

Ironically, just a few minutes after ending his short address and when everybody was taking in the message, the Minister was seen picking from the ground a sachet containing what was believed to be marijuana, one of the commonly used drugs in Botswana.

=“Drugs have so infiltrated our society and have found their way into schools. So serious is this problem some teachers have confided in me they fear for their lives because students concoct and take drugs,” he said.

Unless something is done and done without delay, the Kanye North lawmaker fears for the worst. It was to this end that he made a clarion call to everybody to make it their business to join the war against drug proliferation and report untoward dealings to authorities.

The Monday news riled Kgosi Oupa Mokabedi of Lekgolobotlo who gave a stern warning to his subjects to keep away from drugs or face the full wrath of the law.

All residents who got an opportunity to speak detested the use of drugs saying it had made the family structure dysfunctional and destroyed the future of many young people.

They were particularly not amazed by the fact that somebody of a high social standing as the Minister had seen with his naked eyes, the situation which they acknowledged had spiraled out of control.

One of the concerned residents, Mr Swartz Sekgwari called on fellow residents to rally behind crime busters and fight drug proliferation in Lekgolobotlo.

Mr Abel Mokhure, a young man, who declared he also saw Minister Ralotsia pick up the sachet containing the cannabis, told fellow residents of how disappointed he was about the development.  “This should be a turning point in our lives and we have to take it upon ourselves to clean up this mess,” he pleaded.

Another resident of Lekgolobotlo, Ms Tally Nkwe who confessed to have been caught red handed dealing with drugs and locked up for two weeks in the past blamed some parents for fueling the problem by selling the dangerous stuff to children.

“We no longer have peace in our homes because our children do not listen to us anymore as a result of these menacing drugs,” she said.

The consensus was to enlist the services of sniffer dogs. ENDS