13 Jun 2022

Government will this financial year construct a Special Support group (SSG) camp in the vicinity of Mabule and Phitshane.

This was said by the Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi during kgotla meetings in the two the villages recently.

The Minister said it was the mandate of his ministry to safe guard residents and their belongings, hence the decision to up security in their respective villages.

In their welcome remarks, Kgosi Moroka Tiro of Mabule and Kgosi Botlhomilwe Sekwenyane of Phitshane Molopo had both raised their concerns regarding high crime rate in their villages, mainly cattle rustling and armed robberies.

They said crimes such as armed robberies were normally committed in broad day light as perpetrators were aware that the police were not well equipped.

The minister, however, cautioned youth to discontinue criminal activities because once the SSG camp was completed the residents  full might of the law.

He urged residents to cease their old habits of crossing the border at ungazzetted areas. In the meantime, the minister said his ministry would equip the police with appropriate tools and vehicles so that they could rise to the challenge when duty called.

In his remarks, Good Hope/Mabule MP, Mr Eric Molale concurred with the minister that residents should brace themselves for major changes they were not accustomed to.

On other issues, the MP pleaded with local authorities to prioritise de-bushing areas along the border to ease its patrol by law enforcement officers.

Mr Molale promised to liaise with the Minister of Immigration and Gender Equality to discuss fixing of border fence issue.

“We are well aware that residents of villages along the border line have relatives on the other side and we will try to ensure that in future there are some designated crossing points just like in the olden days,” he said.

The legislator said entry points were closed by the apartheid regime in South Africa because they were deemed useful for people who wanted to topple the regime.

He said the SSG camp would be a welcome development as criminals from outside the district were now using the villages as exit routes to carry out their illegal activities.

The residents also welcomed the envisaged developments, saying they would be able to keep their belongings, especially livestock, which seemed to be topping the to-do list of criminals. ENDS