15 Aug 2013

The Assistant Minster of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, has told Parliament that 296 solar panels, batteries and cables were stolen from institutions under her ministry since the introduction of the use of solar power.

Responding to a Parliamentary question posed by Nata/Gweta MP, Mr Rayner Makosha, Ms Tshireletso said the solar panels were stolen in primary schools, supplies premises, teachers quarters, health posts and boreholes in nine councils of the Central, North East, Lobatse, Southern, Kweneng, Kgalagadi and Ghanzi with a total cost for the stolen panels being P758 640.30.

She explained that a total of 101 cases were reported to the police and five people were convicted while 19 cases are still before the courts. Six cases are pending, while 27 were closed undetected and the remaining have no leads, she clarifies.

The assistant minister said her ministry has put in place plans to remedy the situation and to ensure that such occurrences are reduced.

The plans include the engagement of security services at primary schools, she said, adding that where such security companies are engaged and incidences of loss still occurred, they will be held liable to pay for the loss and stolen items.

She said another plan is to use one way screws to lock all panels in an array to each other such that it makes removal of individual panels difficult. She said being a single unit, an array of panels will not be easy to remove because of its increased size and weight, making loading and transportation become very difficult.

Thirdly, the ministry will conduct awareness campaigns to end users on the the security of the photovoltaic system, including teaching them advising them not to leave ladders or similar items near premises that could make it easier for criminals to gain access to roofs.

Others, Ms Tshireletso said, include the installation of panels up a standalone nine metre pole, away from the building instead of mounting them on roof tops. Crime prevention committees such as neighbourhood watch will also be formed to curb the prevalence of the crime.

She said, where there is Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) electricity grid and funds permitting, her ministry will do as much as possible to connect facilities to the electric grid, as well as soldering bolts and nuts on corners to make it difficult for criminals to remove them.

MP Makosha had asked about the number of solar panels including batteries and cables stolen from institutions under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development since the introduction of the solar power.

He had also wanted the minister to state the places and institutions that were robbed and the cost involved, cases reported, persons convicted, cases pending in courts and police stations.

The Legislator had also wanted the minister to further state plans in place to remedy the situation. Ends