19 May 2021

Residents of Maitengwe in the Nkange constituency have asked their MP, Dr Never Tshabang, to request government to consider increasing law enforcement officers in their village particularly along the border line. 

During a leadership meeting in Maitengwe on Monday, the residents decried increase of  cross border crime, saying it had become even more dangerous. 

Over the years, they said, they lost their cattle with no perpetrators being brought to book, but nowadays they were even afraid to herd their livestock to grazing areas because of armed criminals. 

Kgosi Shadreck Mphala-Mengwe of Maitengwe said crime was also fueled by poor maintenance of the cordon fence.

He noted that although work had started to refurbish it, along some villages on the border line, it was taking too long to complete. 

Kgosi Mphala-Mengwe said people and elephants were the major culprits, calling for a long-term solution. 

He said they propose that the fence along villages be electrified to prevent both border crime and to drive away wildlife, further suggesting that pickets be placed at least five kilometres apart along the fence to help in the fight against crime. 

Furthermore, Kgosi Mphala-Mengwe also requested the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism to consider having a wildlife office in Maitengwe because servicing them from Tutume seemed to be a challenge, more so that they were at the entry point for the animals, particularly elephants from neighbouring Zimbabwe. 

He said although many people had ploughed, some had returned from the fields empty handed since  the animals destroyed all their produce. 

Kgosi Mphala-Mengwe lamented that some farmers endured the second destruction of crops by elephants, while still awaiting compensation of previous destructions. 

In his response, Dr Tshabang said completion of the Maitengwe police station would help reduce crime in the village. 

However, he pointed out that the project, which could have been completed in May 2019, was still ongoing and the ministry was considering taking legal action against the contractor. 

On the issue of pickets, he stated that a decision had been taken to have them placed as per their suggestion. 

The MP revealed that there were new compensation guidelines and promised to follow-up compensation delays. ends