04 Jun 2023

Residents of Motopi have been implored to work in partnership with the police to fight stock theft.

Boteti West MP, also Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane advised residents during a kgotla meeting in Motopi on Friday  that stepping up efforts would play a significant role in curbing the stock theft problem.  

He told them that the police needed their support in order to address the rising cases of stock theft.

 Mr Tsogwane said in an effort to tackle the escalating numbers of stock theft cases government had resolved to establish stock theft branches across all police stations.

He said 150 police officers completed training on anti-stock theft in April and would be dispatched to police stations.

KgomoKhumo, he said, would however would remain a special operation that would target hot spots across the country.

He advised the residents to report butchery owners involved in stock theft.

He encouraged farmers to take care of their stock by kraaling and guarding them, noting that some farmers left their stock unattended.

In addition, Mr Tsogwane, urged the Top Mark village Trust members to step up efforts to ensure that they played a significant role in developing their village.

He stated that a trust could boost the village economic growth, provided the board appointed to  run the trust had visionary leaders who had the interest of the community at heart.

The MP said that Rural Development Council’s aim was to upgrade and enhance livelihoods in the rural areas.

Mr Tsogwane urged the residents to trade with their knowledge and natural resources.

He said there should be beneficiation in everything that was produced locally, citing that farmers should be able to benefit from cattle farming such as through leather tanning and production of creams from milk.

He added that farmers should be able to produce lablab and Lucerne as opposed to importing.

The Village Development Committee Chairperson Mr Bathusi Kutoro requested to be allowed to use state land for tourism purposes as their efforts to embark on farming were frustrated by Human-wildlife conflict.

Mr Kutoro said due to Human-wildlife conflict, residents ended up being dependent on Ipelegeng, hence he appealed to the government to increase Ipelegeng workers quota. Ends