Police happy about peaceful Mantshwabisi

Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday June 27, 2017 16:52

The director of traffic, Senior Assistant Commissioner, Katlholo Mosimanegape revealed in an interview that though the numbers of spectators had increased this year, they managed to control the crowd and few minor accidents and incidents were recorded.

Though at the time of the interview his office was still compiling statistics, he said no horrific accident and nasty criminal offences were reported, adding that they had strategies in place to control such.

Mosimanegape further indicated that the heavy flow of traffic was a challenge as the Trans-Kalahari road which passes through Jwaneng was also a trnasit route for trucks which pass through Botswana to other countries. He said in the near future stakeholders will have to sit down and map strategies that will allow those trucks to pass without interruption.

He said the route is used by other countries and the relationship between Botswana and those countries should be maintained even during the race to allow them to pass and not disrupt their businesses.

“This year the number of spectators had grown and alcohol abuse was also on the rise. There were literally many people in Jwaneng and we had to be vigilant of possibilities of any security threats,” said Mosimanegape.

He also noted that they reduced the number of deployed police officers from other stations because in the past there were also incidents of breakings at their respective stations during the race which needed their manpower. Mosimanegape also advised that in the future there should also be volunteer marshals during the race to assist the police.

On the other hand Mosimanegape said some people who were drunk from the festival displayed uncalled for behaviour and drove motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol.

He further noted that thorough education should be done to the spectators to allow the other part of life to go on, adding that not all people are part of the race and they should be respected and be given space to perform other domestic duties.