05 Oct 2023

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has delivered some customised all purpose vehicles (APV) and livestock relief in response to the cross-border livestock rustling that has ravaged Bobirwa region for over four decades and left farmers impoverished.

Delivering the interventions in Bobonong yesterday, President  Masisi said that the four vehicles, each worth about P3 million, would enable police patrol borders between Botswana and Zimbabwe as well as South Africa where cross-border stock theft was rampant.

The vehicles are reportedly capacitated with cameras for photo and video taking.

Drones, which form part of the enhanced border patrol vehicles interventions, will be handed over once they have been procured.

In addition to the above measures, the President said that there were many more interventions in place to ensure protection of borders.

While patrolling and protection of borders is in full swing, farmers who lost their livestock through the cross-border livestock scourge will receive some relief from government.

“Your region was under attack for many decades where some of you were assaulted by rustlers who violently stole from you,” said President Masisi who told residents that he tapped on his prerogatives to help with relief for those who lost their livestock.

For the 645 beneficiaries of the relief programme, government will buy heifers and 115 bulls at an estimated cost of P45 million and distribute around the syndicates to benefit all the farmers.

A farmer who lost five or more cattle will get five heifers while those who lost less than five will get the exact number they lost.

The President further said a syndicate with 30 or more heifers would get a bull whose modalities of care and maintenance would be decided upon by the beneficiaries. Farmers were also encouraged to buy semen straws.

For small stock, those who lost between one and 24 animals will receive the exact number lost while those who lost more than 24 will be given 25 heads only.

Farmers who wish to change stock they kept before will be subjected to conversion. 

A cattle farmer who wishes to  change to small stock will get five animals for every heifer they were to get. Similarly, the President explained  those who wanted to trade small stock for heifers would get one animal for five small stock heads.

For donkeys, a farmer gets the exact number they lost.

“They’ll source these animals in areas around Bobirwa so that they could easily acclimatise to the conditions here,” said President Masisi.

Prior to the President’s address, minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi explained that the interventions were a product of consultations.

Government engaged communities before escalating the matter to heads of states at the bi-national commission between Botswana and Zimbabwe, he said.

Upon conclusion of talks between President Masisi and his Zimbabwean counterpart Mr Emerson Mnangagwa, the former tasked his ministry of defence and security with implementation of security interventions, Mr Mmusi said.

Police chiefs from the two countries met at Mabolwe Border to fine-tune measures of combating crime. 

Before that, Zimbabwe High Commissioner to Botswana visited and toured the border line between the two countries.

“I appreciate your patience while we interrogated and sought solutions to the then nagging problem,” minister Mmusi said.

President Dr Masisi also setup a commission of inquiry on cross-border livestock rustling along Botswana/Zimbabwe border led by Mr Gabriel Seeletso to amongst others determine the extent of the problem.

Realising the problem was escalating, mephato joined hands with security agencies in an effort to combat stock theft. 

Mephato were paid through Ipelegeng and were also provided with protective clothing. ENDS