Crime dips in Tlokweng as police efforts pay off

Pini Bothoko | Friday June 20, 2025 11:39

According to a recent report from by the Tlokweng District Development Committee (DDC), some prevalent crime recorded a sharp decline compared to last year.

The report for the Quarter 4 (January to March 2025) showed that burglary cases dropped from 24 to 15, with store break-ins falling from 23 to 12, and rape cases halving from 11 to six, while stock theft decreased from six to just two.

Most notably, it indicated that no murder cases have been recorded so far in 2025, compared to the two registered in 2024.

However, housebreaking, robbery and motor vehicle theft remained constant.

The report, which was presented during the Tlokweng District Council full meeting, shows that these prevalent offences decreased from 99 cases in 2024 to 68 in 2025, marking a positive trend in crime reduction.

Tlokweng, a peri-urban village located just a stone’s throw from the capital, had in previous years developed a reputation for lawlessness.

It was once gripped by fear as violent crime like rape, assault and robbery surged.

At the peak of the crime wave, residents lived in fear of serial attackers, including a chilling case at Masetlheng ward where a group of rapists reportedly attacked a family, assaulting the wife and the husband’s sister in his presence.

While residents are still cautioned against complacency such as leaving their windows open or walking alone at night, the sharp decline in major crimes has been widely attributed to heightened police presence and improved community-policing efforts.

This progress shows that the tide is turning. Tlokweng is beginning to reclaim its initial image as a peaceful and close-knit community of Batlokwa and those seeking tranquility by residing at the village.

Following the tabling of the report, councillors from across the political divide applauded the Botswana Police Service (BPS) for the gains, although they acknowledge that continued vigilance was necessary to sustain the momentum.

At the height of surging crime rate, businesses were also not sparred as criminals used to break into shops and offices at night. The perpetrators used a method of blasting safes, at times even the doors , to gain entry.

There were also reports of business people being held at gunpoint during the day or when they were about to close for business.

Homes used to be invaded while people were robbed of their valuables such as electronic gadgets and in some instances people’s bank accounts were simply cleaned of funds.

There were reported incidents in which literally the greedy and heartless criminals left residents heart-broken after emptying house items like furniture and others.

Responding to this crisis back in 2023, police enhanced protection of homes and businesses against invasions by deploying the Special Support Group (SSG) to patrol the area. The City Policing unit has also been credited for fighting crime in Tlokweng.

Looking at these statistics, the SSG has the wherewithal to clean the streets of these undesirable criminals who have been haunting Gaborone residents and the city’s environs.

Then, residents were also encouraged to form cluster policing in which they can help each other to curb crime.

This came into effect after the police had observed that while some people were neighbours, but never said a word to each other hence could not spot a stranger amongst them because they do not know each other.

For the majority of people who relocate from far-flung villages for greener pastures in Gaborone, their first stop is Tlokweng which offer cheaper and affordable accommodation.

While boosting the estate business for Batlokwa, this however comes along with bad behaviour such as the increase in criminal activities as the population of the village increases exponentially.

Even though crime and serious offences have declined, the report has revealed that increased urban pressure and traffic violations remain key challenges that the police aim to address through continued public engagement, targeted education, and strategic law.

“In the fourth quarter of 2024/25, high numbers of traffic offences were recorded each month, with totals of 458 in January, 286 in February and 467 in March.

“The most common offences included driving without a license, careless driving and failure to wear a seat belt. Despite efforts, issues such as drunken driving and mobile phone use while driving persist, posing safety risks,” reads the report.

In contrast, the report revealed that police-generated offences increased substantially, rising from 92 cases in 2024 to 131 in 2025. Moreover, the most notable increase was in immigration-related offences, which more than doubled from 50 to 111.

“Other offences such as drug possession also rose slightly. On the other hand, enforcement under the liquor Act dropped significantly from 21 cases in 2024 to four cases in 2025, and no cases were recorded under the trade or employment Acts during this period,” further reads the report.

Fighting home invasions has probably brought peace and tranquility that were slowly becoming scarce in Tlokweng. Also, with these positive statistics, the area has the potential of attracting investors as no one can invest in an unsafe area.