21 May 2018

Residents of Mmopane have expressed concern about the high rate of crime in their village.

The residents expressed these concerns during a kgotla meeting addressed by the Member of Parliament for Mmopane/Lentsweletau and also Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Mr Vincent Seretse recently.

Kgosi Simon Manthe said the crime in his village is constantly increasing, which is a cause for concern for them as leaders, adding that some of the residents are part of the problem.

He accused some residents for shielding criminals from the police, which he said clearly showed that they were not united as a village in the fight against crime.

Ms Bojala Semaile echoed the sentiments, stating that although they have volunteered to assist police officers patrol the streets, it seems their efforts are not yielding any results.

“One other worrying fact is that residents are not volunteering in large numbers and sometimes when we find ourselves in a situation where we face the criminals we are outnumbered,” she said.

Ms Semaile said shortage of police vehicles was another challenge they face, adding that they end up using private cars to attend to crime scenes.

Other residents shared the sentiments requesting the MP to come to their aid in finding ways to curb crime in the village.

They also asked the MP to assist in resolving the issue involving the police vehicle, which they were given but is minimally visible.

Other residents complained that they have many unresolved issues with Mogoditshane Land Board stating that they are not satisfied with the assistance they get from officers.

Ms Bonnye Babusi indicated that land board seized her family field in 2016 with the promise that they would be reallocated a plot, but they have not been assisted even up to now.

In response, Mr Seretse promised that he would look into the issues, stating that he would consult relevant authorities to rectify the situations.

He also encouraged the residents to always work hand in hand with the police to curb crime, stating that police officers alone would not be able to clean the streets.

Giving a vote of thanks, Councillor James Lekgetho pleaded with the MP to look into the possibility of the village having its own junior secondary school as the population is increasing at a rapid rate. ENDS