11 Aug 2019

Commissioner of Police, Mr Keabetswe Makgophe, met his counterpart from Zimbabwe, Mr Tandabanthu Matanga, in an effort to jointly fight crime.

Mr Makgophe took Mr Matanga on a tour from Kazungula to Mabolwe border post to appreciate the challenges that the two countries faced in their quest to fight crime, particularly stock theft.

When addressing a police commissioners and traditional leadership meeting at Mabolwe border, Mr Makgophe thanked the community leadership from both countries for taking an initiative to meet and deliberate on ways to combat crime across the borders.

He said traditional leaders had always been at the helm of fighting crime and providing guidance to their respective communities.

He said this was going to make the job easier for the police officers since crime prevention committees were not the police responsibility.

Mr Makgophe said all the resolutions adopted from the meeting were good but he would need time to look into them together with his advisors.

He said Botswana Police Service was willing to support community leadership on this initiative, but he said resources in the two countries were not adequate enough to enable them to implement all the resolutions.

He informed them that he instructed his officers to work hand in hand with Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in crime investigations, adding “we want to assure you that the relationship between the two countries is held in high esteem hence the bi-national commission between the two countries.”

He commended traditional leaders for their strong relationship and effort in the fight against crime.

For his part, Mr Matanga also decried inadequate resources to support the traditional leaders’ initiative, saying ZRP had no vehicles and inadequate infrastructure to use during patrols.

However, he said ZPR would do their best to support this initiative. 

North Central divisional commander, Mr Christopher Mbulawa, commended traditional leaders for joining hands against crime.

He said this was going to make life easier for the police.

Mr Mbulawa also thanked the two commissioners for taking time to appreciate achievements and challenges faced by the police.

Traditional leadership from the two countries agreed on biennial meetings, to form crime prevention committees across the two countries, work closely together and for traditional leaders to chair the meetings.

They also resolved that the two governments should always avail one vehicle each to help during patrol time. BOPA