25 Feb 2024

The Department of Veterinary Services has removed personnel that were employed on permanent and pensionable terms from pickets along the border, says Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi.

He said the area referred to was characterised by black cotton soil which following the rain season was completely not accessible for a period not less than six months.

He noted that during the period neither wildlife nor livestock accessed the area, and that in the interest of staff welfare they were temporarily transferred to other areas during those difficult times, adding that when the situation improved they would be returned to the area.

Minister Mmusi said the Department of Veterinary Services found it not cost effective since it was evident that the staff would be needed there for only six months.

He said the department therefore decided to remove the permanent staff from the border around Sepako and instead engaged picket staff on a temporary bases for the six months.

The minister also explained that crime of any nature, including stock theft, affected the livelihoods of citizens. In that regard, he said his ministry had come up with different initiatives targeting stock theft such as ‘Operation Kgomokhumo’, public education and resourcing the anti-stock theft branch to deliver on its key objective of combating livestock theft in the country.

He said three stock theft cases involving 30 cattle suspected to have been smuggled into Zimbabwe were reported from 2022 to date and that there was no violence reported or any threat to livestock owners.

Mr Mmusi also noted that any domesticated cloven-hoofed animal that crossed any cordon fence along the border and found would be destroyed and the livestock owner compensated P700 per beast and P200 for goat or sheep as per the Presidential Directive CAB.33A/16.

He further highlighted that as a way of addressing cross-border livestock theft, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has established a joint ministerial committee on combating cross-border livestock rustling between Botswana and Zimbabwe as well as other neighbouring countries to advise government on policies and strategies to combat the challenge.

He noted that the ministerial committee was chaired by Minister of Defence and Security, adding that other members included ministers of foreign affairs, justice, labour and home affairs, local government and rural development, agriculture, environment and tourism and Botswana's ambassador to Zimbabwe.

MP for Nata/Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister if he was aware of the alarming rate of stock theft at Sepako where livestock was trafficked to Zimbabwe because the Department of Veterinary Services had removed the personnel stationed at pickets, and if so, did he not find it fit to deploy security agents like the Special Support Group or Botswana Defence Force to patrol the border to avoid stock being taken to Zimbabwe.

He also asked the minister whether it did not impoverish Batswana as their lives depended on livestock, and if it did not pose a threat to livestock owners as perpetrators had no mercy while committing such deeds as well as when he would consider compensating those who lost their livestock in such instances and to state plans in place to curb such practices from taking place in future. 

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