North East under siege as crime surges
Joseph Balise | Monday May 29, 2023 06:00
No.15 policing District Officer Commanding Senior Superintendent Kabo Badirwang is very much concerned with the new spate of motor vehicle thefts that have particularly targeted the Toyota Hilux GD.6 SUV model as well as the Honda Fit.
In an interview, Badirwang admitted that the current crime wave in his policing district, which includes the entire NED is very worrisome. In his own words, Badirwang says "the crime situation in the district is very worrisome".
Without the benefit of statistics at his disposal during the interview, he still remained adamant that the crime is a very serious concern that calls for concerted curbing strategies.
"The burning issue is especially the newly emerging crime of motor vehicle theft. The perpetrators of the crime have gone beyond only stealing the motor vehicles to injuring the vehicle owners and or drivers of the targeted vehicles," said Badirwang as he prepared to attend a Crime Pitso convened by the Tati West Member of Parliament Simon Moabi.
Former police officer Milton Mapange, who retired after 40 years service is also concerned. He, also like the Senior Superintendent, said even without statistics, it is apparent that crime in the district is on the increase. "We are experiencing an exponential surge in crimes of different natures - cross-border crimes like illegal smuggling of fuel, though currently under control. Rampant house break-ins and of late a spike in motor vehicle thefts," said Mapange. However, in Mapange's view, there are pertinent questions that ought to be asked and answers provided thereto: How do we handle this situation as citizens? What do we do to curb and or eliminate the crimes? According to him, the first and most important fact to appreciate is the district's proximity to Zimbabwe, a currently economically challenged country whose citizens are the worst affected.
The problem linked to Zimbabwe is exacerbated by the porous nature of the border fences between the two countries. The fence is outright down there, or more precisely no longer as a result of ransacking by elephants and in other instances brought down by smugglers of goods of all types. Mapange also laments the lack of maintenance of the border fence.
Especially the lack of an appropriately sanctioned authority assigned the function. It is not crystal clear who between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the fence maintenance. "This issue needs clarity as a matter of urgency and further, government must provide a standing monetary allocation for border maintenance.
Failure to do so will unfortunately complicate the border fence maintenance issue", said Mapange. In Mapange's view, concerted efforts are required from the Botswana and the Zimbabwe sides to relentlessly fight the crime scourge. Botswana cannot manage on its own since most of the stolen goods get smuggled into Zimbabwe. And Zimbabwe cannot equally manage on its own without Botswana where the stolen goods originate. Commenting on house break-ins and other burglary cases, Mapange observes that the biggest flop in the district is the non-existence of crime prevention groups like "Ntebele ke go lebele" which have proved successful in other villages as well as other parts of the country. To Mapange, this is a very important programme that the North East District should emulate and implement.
It is a programme that teaches residents to be more vigilant in the detection and prevention of crime in their communities and surrounding areas. In addition, more police visibility in the district is required according to Mapange. "When crime increases in a given area, it is advised that the police numbers to fight crime in that area be drastically increased. Police visibility always yields positive results", said Mapange. The other issue of concern to Mapange is the failure of residents to come forward and share whatever little information they have with the police.
"The police can't manage to eliminate or reduce crime on their own hence the need for community assistance and engagement," he said adding that people providing the police with information must also go an extra mile of testifying in court. In the case of the motor vehicle thefts targeting the Toyota Hilux GD.6 SUV and the Honda Fit sedan, Mapange reiterates the availability of a market that they are being sold at. "It is apparent that there is a market up north. Zimbabwe might just be a transit route", said Mapange adding that these two models that motor vehicle thieves are after should also be suffering from insufficient security on their own. It must be easy to access them hence their targeting. The other fact that comes into play in motor vehicle thefts is the collusion in some cases of the company staff where most of the vehicles are stolen. Mapange is very worried that at the rate crime in general is growing in the North East, it is clear that the residents spend sleepless nights, fearing for their lives and literally sleeping with one eye open.
Quite a sad situation indeed. Moroka Village Development Committee chairperson, Rodgers Mbulawa is also concerned with the speed with which crime is increasing in his village. According to Mbulawa, there is a new wave of crime involving the theft of cattle. The theft is a new phenomenon that is hardly understood but has left many destitute. Mbulawa has in the recent past lost more than 10 herds of cattle, a very big number by local standards. He is concerned that the new trend of cattle theft that has just hit the village has already seen to the disappearance of almost 90 herds of cattle. Honestly speaking, cattle theft had previously been unheard of in the NED.
It is a new disturbing phenomenon. Mbulawa is disappointed by the way the police have handled the Moroka cattle theft issue. He says though a number of farmers lost cattle in different numbers, only a single docket was opened against all expectations despite the various complainants in the matter. He is wondering whether the police will be carrying statements to the court if that stage comes since they have not opened multiple cases guided by the number of complaints. Mbulawa is also unhappy that the police are not giving them feedback on whether they are making any breakthrough or not in their investigations. As for general crime that has engulfed the entire district, Mbulawa also echoes the same sentiments as others - that the crime situation has become more worrisome than ever before. He is alive to the fact that residents are disturbed and live in absolute fear as none knows when he or she will be attacked. The crime situation is also negatively impacting the education sector as teachers seek transfers to more secure places than the NED. In an interview, Ramoja Junior Secondary School headmaster Velempini Ndaba confirmed that his school has been hard hit with break-ins during school holidays. According to Ndaba, just as recent as April, one of his teachers was attacked by the thieves who wielded pangas. "It is sad.
Teachers want transfers to more safer areas. Our school is in the bush and has become an easy target. Not only teachers' houses are robbed, even the school administration offices have become a regular target," said Ndaba Kgari village chief, Kgosi Godfrey English, who is also the chairperson of the Gasethata cluster of villages, also expressed concerns at the growing crime rate. He says it is very painful that people are attacked every night in their houses and deprived of their valuables that they worked very hard to acquire. "Batho ga ba robale. Ba lala ba katile ditsabone ka mmele (people don't sleep at night opting to physically guard their valuables).
Quite a sad thing indeed", said Kgosi English. Kgosi English is also very disappointed that rarely do people come forward to help the police with information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. "This leads to a singular conclusion. That some within our own communities are involved. And alternatively working in cahoots with thugs from the neighbouring Zimbabwe", stressed Kgosi English. Kgosi English proposes intensified roadblocks by the police as well as intensive stop and search initiatives.
Kgosi Tapson Jackalas of Jackalas No.1 village also shares the same sentiments that the current crime is just too high and disturbing. "The situation is bad and needs to be dealt with urgently and decisively since it is depriving communities of their peace. People are living in terrible fear. It is not right. It is heart wrenching for old people to be attacked by thugs who want to steal their old age pension", bemoaned Kgosi Jackalas.
Given the enormity of the crime situation in the district, the Member of Parliament for Tati West, Simon Moabi had at the time of going to press convened at meeting at Zwenshambe village. The meeting was to be attended by the police, the Dikgosi as well as the VDC chairpersons and secretaries. It is understood that the MP is also concerned hence the meeting. At the meeting the village leaderships and the police leaders are expected to craft a number of strategies that could be used to curb the crime.