24 Feb 2020

Mahalapye Sub-District Council chairperson, Mr Banthasetse Merementsi has called for concerted effort in the fight against all forms of crime in Mahalapye.

Addressing the ongoing Mahalapye Sub-district Council’s first council meeting, Mr Merementsi said it was clear that Mahalapye region was highly affected by crime, ranging from stock theft, robbery, motor vehicle theft, forgery, house break ins, burglary and theft.

“Crimes involving house breaking and theft, burglary and theft, as well as store break ins and have increased in 2019 as compared to 2018, according to Botswana Police Service statistics,” he said.

The crimes, Mr Merementsi said mostly occurred at Boseja/Flowertown and Xhosa I.

However, he said incidences of stock theft had reduced from 313 cases in 2018 to 196 in 2019, ‘partly due to the intensified fight against the same.’

The sub-council chairperson expressed concern over the escalating Gender Based Violence cases, with rape cases increasing from 147 in 2018 to 177 in 2019.

Additionally, he said defilement cases had also increased from 60 registered in 2018 to 73 in 2019.

“This, therefore, calls for our concerted effort in the fight against all forms of crime,” the chairperson stressed. ENDS