26 Apr 2023

Minister of Defence and Security has emphasised the need for the Botswana Police Service (BPS) to continue to strengthen its strategies in the fight against the rampant stocktheft in Botswana and across borders.

Addressing kgotla meetings in Mapoka and Nlapkhwane villages on April 25, Minister Kagiso Mmusi said it was important that the BPS continued to be visible and forge partnerships that would improve response time, feedback and investigations of reported cases in order to protect livestock, which he described as the backbone of the country’s economy.

Minister Mmusi told residents that the stocktheft division was expected to be in operation mid this year and would be a fully-fledged unit in about two to three years.

The minister had visited the two villages along the Botswana and Zimbabwean border owing to the high number of cross border crime that included livestock theft and the recent home invasions.

“The BPS is very much concerned by the high rate of stock theft cases in the country and across the borders. 

Police officers must stay in control to ensure that livestock is protected from criminals and at all times,” he said.

He added that although there was an anti-stock theft unit within the organisation, it was clear that there was need to establish a fully-fledged unit because livestock theft had become complex.

“Officers for the new division will be deployed across the country after undergoing extensive training to sharpen their investigative skills,” he said.

He also indicated that in a bid to improve the fight against rising crime, 1 000 police officers were recruited in the financial year 2022/2023, adding that the police annual recruits intake would also be increased by 1 000 during the current financial year.

“This will increase the police’ visibility and response, particularly in rural areas and settlements,” he said.

The minister informed Mapoka residents that their police post would be completed in August. 

The contract was once terminated after the contractor abandoned the site.

However, he said the project did not include staff houses and encouraged residents to build houses and rent them out to the police.

He also informed residents that four police officers would be posted to the village to add up to the current eight.

In addition, the minister informed residents that police base camps manned by the Special Support Group (SSG) would be established along the border from Matsiloje to Mbalambi to curb cross-border crime.

The SSG, he said, would also strengthen cross-border patrols, adding that government was in negotiations with Zimbabwe to establish similar base camps on its side.

For his part, BPS deputy commissioner, Mr Solomon Mantswe appealed to residents to consider sharing resources, especially vehicles.

Mr Mantswe said this after some residents had complained that a police vehicle that was assigned to their village was not always available in the station.

He also expressed concern about the increasing number in vehicle theft from Botswana into Zimbabwe. 

He added that so far, five vehicles had reportedly been stolen and crossed into Zimbabwe and only two of them had been recovered.

“Recovery of these two vehicles is an indication that there is good and cordial working relationship between the Botswana Police and their Zimbabwe counterparts,” he said.

In other issues, some residents informed the minister that although stock theft was not a new problem, it had escalated in recent years because syndicates operated on far larger scales. Ends