05 Jun 2018

Bobirwa Sub-district chairperson, Mr Goratamang Masweu has expressed concern about the increasing cases of crime in the area. 

Speaking during the opening of the first sub-council session for 2018/19, Mr Masweu said the No 10 District continued to witness an increase in crime statistics. 

The No 10 District is made up of Bobonong, Baines Drift, Semolale, Botshabelo and Selibe Phikwe police stations, and 203 targeted and serious offences were recorded for January, February and March this year compared to 190 cases for the same period last year. 

Mr Masweu, who is also councillor for Mmadinare/Robelela, said most of the offenders were syndicates whose modus operandi was known to the community. 

According to 2018 statistics from the district, Selibe Phikwe, which includes Mmadinare, recorded 95 cases, Botshabelo and Bobonong 40 cases each while Semolale and Baines Drift registered 14 cases each of the targeted serious offences. In 2017, Selibe Phikwe had 79 cases while Botshabelo recorded 44 and Bobonong 49 such cases. Baines Drift and Semolale police stations registered 10 and eight cases respectively. 

He said the community was reluctant to report  crime syndicates and illegal migrants for fear of victimisation, adding that it was worsened by the use of drugs and substance abuse which was a concern in the sub-district. 

The councillor challenged his colleagues and other civic leaders to preach against drug and substance abuse, and called for promotion of neighbourhood watch. Regarding developments to be carried out in the current financial year, he said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had disbursed over P1.8 million for the construction of 19 houses and 19 ventilated pit latrines under RADP and the destitute programme. 

“A total of P1.4 million has been disbursed to Bobirwa Sub-council and works for the project started June 1,” he said. He said the Department of Social Protection had since the beginning of the year registered 23 eligible beneficiaries aged 65 and above in the old age pension.

Councillor Masweu informed the council that the Independent Electoral Commission had set September 3 to November 11 as the dates for general voter registration, including weekends, to give those who might not find time during normal working days to register. Times for registration, he said, would be from 8am to 6pm and applications for registration would be at a station within the polling district where an applicant had residence. 

In cases where one had more than one residence at a polling station within the polling district, an application for such would be tendered where the applicant had a principal residence. ENDS