More resources needed to fight crime

The Monitor Editor | Tuesday January 25, 2022 06:00

The Fight Crime Gaborone Facebook page is always filled with sad complaints of hard working Batswana who were robbed at knife point at some traffic lights or at their home gates when trying to get inside.

These thugs have no mercy; they do not just threaten victims, they are always ready to use knives, and sadly, they damage car windows. While this happens at different traffic lights, there are those where such incidents happen more frequently such as the Taung traffc lights, and the ones by the old BURS offices. We know our police service does not have enough resources, but the problem of people getting attached is getting out of hand, and the lives of Batswana are in danger. Botswana Police Service and other stakeholders should come together and find a solution to the problem, but in the meantime, it would be helpful for patrols around some of the crime hotspots.

Thieves who attack people at those spots are usually violent, and do it freely without any fear. Unfortunately, other motorists are usually scared to assist out of fear of being hurt or in some instance killed. It is high time that our beautiful country puts more resources into fighting crime! Criminals have started bragging evidenced by the fact that they no longer steal when people are not watching, but rather do it while everybody is watching. Our society’s moral fibre is slowly deteriorating.

Yes, there are arguments that the high rate of unemployment may be a major contributor to the ever growing crime statistics. While possible, it is a flimsy argument in that being unemployed should not turn anyone into a criminal.

Foreign nationals often see Botswana as a land of opportunity, while we as locals resort to complaining from sunrise to sunset. Why is that so? There are many ways that one can hustle to put bread on the table while waiting for their big break. Peace jobs are always there, but unfortunately we are a nation blinded by class, as it is not uncommon to hear someone saying ‘I cannot do this or that because I am a degree holder’, and most end up to resorting to unscrupulous ways of making money. Most thieves love fast cash, and would not be swayed into looking for a full-time job, as to them the salary will always seem inadequate.

A bigger percent of the time people resort to thieving for selfish reasons, not necessarily because they sleep on an empty stomach. It is high time for us to demand protection from our government!