02 Nov 2020

Traffic officers will have no mercy for any motorist who contravenes the Road Traffic Act during the 60 days of action on crime and road safety, which runs from November 1 until December 31.

The police commissioner, Mr Keabetswe Makgophe told residents of Ghanzi when launching the 60 days campaign on October 30 that the police would heighten alert and enforce the Act to reduce road mishaps that continued claim lives.

 He said road accidents robbed the nation of gifted future leaders and the money which could have otherwise been channelled towards developments.

This year alone, the commissioner shared that 243 lives had been lost to road accidents, which he described as too high a statistic. 

Although they recorded 377 deaths around the same time last year, he attributed the drop to the lockdowns and restrictions than vigilance on the part of motorists.

“This goes without saying, there is a correlation between alcohol abuse, road accidents and crime,” he observed. 

He said there was a point during the lockdowns where they recorded no crime across the country for a week, during which period the sale of alcohol was outlawed.

However, he was concerned that it turned out that offences like gender-based violence (GBV), defilement and rape, on the other hand, were simmering across the country during the same period.

Under the theme: Safety and Security Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, he urged all Batswana to take responsibility for their safety by reporting any suspicious activities going on within their communities. This, he said could help the police nip crime it in the bud.

The commissioner said alcohol abusers were a danger to themselves and the society because they were usually difficult to deal with. 

High on alcohol, he said the abusers usually lost inhibitions to wear seat belts, let alone drive at set speed limits, which he said endangered the lives of other road users.

Mr Makgophe also argued that after taking one too many, alcohol abusers refused to wear face masks, but naturally talked loudly, which exposed community members and the police, especially those on roadblocks to the risk of contracting the virus.

 He said the Botswana Police Service (BPS) was one of the hardest-hit organisations because often officers put their safety after that of the nation.

To this end, he shared that they would introduce interventions such as privacy rooms for GBV and defilement cases come April 1, next year, even without a budget. 

He said they would rather sacrifice the KgomoKhumo unit to establish the two, adding that  human life was more precious.

He said creating a conducive environment, especially for children to report cases in a relaxed environment could go a long way in the fight against defilement.

Mr Makgophe pledged P10 000 worth of cooking utensils towards Window of Hope, non-governmental organisation based in the township. 

He said the money was generated with love from officers’ contributions.

He further applauded the officers for the discipline they espoused and informed residents that they were ranked the best on the continent.

The council chairperson, Mr Ezekiel Kajuu also urged Batswana to take responsibility for their safety. 

He said peace and security were not solely the responsibility of government. 

He said government had responded adequately to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the bulk of the responsibility now rested on Batswana to observe the protocols and stop community transmissions.

He said other nations across the world were making headway against the pandemic because citizens were alive to the fact that it was not the responsibility of their governments alone. 

He said there was very little government could do to contain the virus if some people still refused to do basics like wearing a face mask.

Mr Kajuu also urged BPS to decentralise KgomoKhumo and spread it across the country, especially the Ghanzi area, which he described as the beef district. 

He said more rustlers would come with the piloted livestock export in the district.

Kgosi Roger Lekgothu of Ghanzi had earlier in his welcome remarks applauded BPS for the KgomoKhumo initiative and asked for more operations in future. 

He also feared the livestock export window, which he said was more rewarding to beef producers, would attract rustlers to the area.

Meanwhile, Botswana Alcohol Industry Association chairperson, Mr Masegonyana Madisa said, “We don’t tolerate anyone who abuses alcohol, we don’t even want their money.”

 He said although they earned a living through the sale of alcohol, they would never let things slide and kill the nation on that narrow consideration.

He said they would crack the whip on any traders who disregarded liquor and COVID-19 regulations by not observing social distancing, use of face masks and operating beyond stipulated hours. 

“We will take stern action not sell alcohol to them, repossess our fridges from them and revoke their licences,” he warned.

He said the association, together with the police, had created a social Application that would enable Batswana to report any incidents of non-compliance. 

Mr Madisa further discouraged their customers from using car washes as drinking spots. Ends