20 Nov 2022

Law enforcement agencies in Botswana, South Africa and Namibia must be a collective and protect the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC) from criminals.

Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Member of Mayoral Committee, Mr Mohammed Karani made the plea at the TKC Joint Law Operation by the three countries held in Rustenburg in the North West Province, South Africa recently. Mr Karani said human and drug trafficking were on the rise globally and the Trans Kalahari Corridor was not spared from such illicit activities.

“Law enforcers must collectively stop the problem before it gets out of hand. They need to pull up their socks and make illegal business transactions difficult for criminals who use the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC) to smuggle illegal substances. We must act collectively to ensure that criminals do not take over the corridor and make it an alternative for their illegal activities,” he said.

Mr Karani indicated that the use of the road along the corridor, which spanned 1 900 kilometers across the three states, positively impacted on lives of millions of people in the region, adding “leaders should make sure that it brought about change in the lives of ordinary people.”

North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management executive council member, Mr Sello Lehari said transport remained the heartbeat of economies and therefore the three countries must act in tandem on law enforcement.

He called for harmonisation of legal instruments on cross-border transport across the three states, saying “we must cooperate on law enforcement and ensure that cross border crime is fought at all levels. Let us ensure that criminals do not commit a crime in another country and run to another.”

He noted that it had been 21 years since the three countries signed a memorandum of understanding which ensured that governments worked together to enforce laws to curb cross border crime and for nations to benefit economically.

The partnership, he said, had stimulated economic growth in partner countries by unlocking road infrastructural development along the TKC and boosted intra trade.

“Trade relations between the sister-countries has further been accentuated by signing of The African Continental Free Trade Agreement. This is a reminder that it is time for Africa to do for itself, remove barriers that impede seamless movement of goods across borders,” he said. Ends