Crime-infested Somerset East raises concern

ISAAC PINIELO
Correspondent | Friday March 5, 2010 00:00

These are the words of 32-year-old Tshekologo Bundu of Somerset East location in the Francistown East constituency as she relates to Mmegi, her several encounters with criminals while staying in this crime-infested area.

For the past nine years that she has been residing in this location, Bundu says she has been living a perilous life and has known no peace. If it was her choice she said, she would not allow her children to grow up there. Had it not been for the fact that she is trying to eke out a living in the city, Bundu says she would have instantly headed back to the serenity of her home village of Thumu, which is a few kilometres from Mopipi, in the Boteti Sub-district.

Although some inhabitants insist that crime would someday subside in this area, people like Bundu believe that the situation there is irrevocable.'Criminal activities in this area are disturbing. I now live in fear that one day my children and I will be attacked,' she says.

She reveals that her first encounter with criminals was when all her laundry, that she had left on the line, was stolen in broad daylight. 'I had gone inside the house for only a few minutes only to find out that all my clothes that were on the line were stolen,' she says with a troubled face.

'We are in serious trouble. These days we are afraid of leaving our clothes unguarded on the line.'Bundu adds that her other experience was when thieves broke and entered into the house where she was sleeping only to get away with a packet of cigarettes.  She says she could not raise the alarm as she feared the men would harm her with the weapons they were carrying.

Other residents, among them, Boikhutso Mmolotsi, 65, confirmed Bundu's story.

'If you want to see for yourself, you can spend the day here and you will see how these criminals attack motorists that stop at the robots,' Mmolotsi said, pointing to the traffic lights, just along the road in front of Nyangabgwe Hospital.

She said criminals attack motorists by breaking windows of their vehicles at the traffic lights. According to Mmolotsi, the perpetrators mostly come from Somerset East. They are mostly local young people, with the collaboration of illegal immigrants and they target handbags inside cars.

Both Bundu and Mmolotsi agree that most of the criminal activities in this area are fuelled by drinking spots that are in abundance. Youth converge at these spots to imbibe Chibuku or Shake-Shake as it is fondly known. However, it is not only Shake-Shake, which is sold here. There are other home brews like khadi and Mokoko-O-Nchebile.

'If you move around, you will see how this whole area has developed into a drinking hole,' Mmolotsi says, adding that criminals have tarnished the image of Somerset area.

Asked if there were any girls in the area involved in crime, Mmolotsi says: 'The young girls have resorted to prostitution and many of them become pregnant at an early age.'

Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity also attributed the escalation of crime in Somerset East to the high number of shebeens in the area. 'Most criminals who come from neighbouring Zimbabwe are the ones who frequent these drinking spots,' he says. However, a group of youths who have been irked by the escalating crime in the area have volunteered to help the police by conducting patrols aimed at combating crime.

Kitso Gasebalwe, aged 23, is one of the youths who have formed a team that patrols the area everyday from 10pm to 4am.

He has vowed to organise more youth to 'deal' with the people who engage in criminal activities in their location.

'Re tla tswelela ka go dira dipaterole go fitlhella lefelo le le nna mo seemong se se sireletsegileng (We shall continue carrying out our patrols until this area becomes peaceful),' said Gasebalwe.Area councillor, Meshack Matsheka denies that most criminal activities that take place in his area are perpetrated by those that reside in that area. He says because of the area's proximity to the city centre, most criminals come from the mall to commit crimes in his area. He noted that most of the criminal activities are normally carried out during the day when most people are not in their houses.

Matsheka dismissed allegations that his area is a haven for criminals saying, 'The neighbourhood watch team in conjunction with members of the police has been doing a great job in making sure that crime is reduced.'

Superintendent Rodney Nkokwe of Kutlwano Police has also expressed concern at the escalation of crime in the area. He said most of the crimes that take place involve break-ins, thefts of cellphones and purses. He said there are also people who hoodwink others by pretending to be prophets and claiming that they can increase their money.

He however noted that since the formation of neighbourhood watch clusters, the situation has slightly improved. He indicated that these clusters were formed in areas with a common problem, such as Somerset East, West and Extension.

Nkokwe noted that in their patrols they mostly arrest people for idling and those that are disorderly. In their stop and search operations they have retrieved equipment like knives and bolt cuts.

He urged people to join hands in the fight against crime, noting that if people join hands they can outnumber criminals.