17 Jul 2024

Community members have been warned against buying unsafe meat, which might put their health at risk.

In an interview recently, Kgosi Tshupegetso Bontsibokae of Matlapana, decried  alarming incidents of stock theft in his area of juridiction.

He said some community members bought uninspected meat from local butcheries that conspired with the suspected stock theft perpetrators.

He said some culprits were recently caught with carcases for two cattle near Matsaudi village, which had been dipped with ‘Topline Dip’ to control bovine-dermatophilosis disease commonly known in the Ngamiland region as ‘Senkobo’.

During the arrest, the perpetrators’ plan to sell contaminated meat to one of the local butcheries was already advanced.

He expressed concern that some butcheries played a role in the rising number of stock theft  cases as they connived with perpetrators.

“My greatest concern is that we have been informed that the dip lasts for three months in an animal, and the slaughtered animals had just been dipped,” he said, adding that the situation had forced the village leadership to take steps to caution members of the community about the dangers of consuming contaminated meat.

To this end, he  said that the community and relevant government departments had agreed to form a committee to arrest the situation.

“It is disheartening as the perpetrators are young people who live within the community, and some have pending stock-theft cases dating as far back as 2018,” added Kgosi Bontsibokae.

However, he pleaded with community members to support the committee in achieving its mandate, noting that stock theft had impoverished farmers, forcing some to abandon their farms and cattle posts in fear of thieves.

On other issues, Kgosi Bontsibokae said efforts to construct satellite police through self-reliance and volunteerism were ongoing, citing that some community members had already pledged contributions as the committee spearheading the project had managed to open an account.

He stated that the community had devised an initiative dubbed motho le motho kgomo to raise funds to construct a satellite police station in the area.

The envisaged project is estimated to cost P18 million. This follows the community’s engagement with Botswana Police Services management, who had given the former their blessings to start the project. ENDS