Tsolamosese residents urged to help combat crime

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane
Correspondent | Thursday April 18, 2013 00:00

 

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor made the appeal at a Kgotla meeting he called recently to brief the community on his achievements and challenges he has encountered since he assumed office.Jack pleaded with his electorate to get involved in various schemes such as crime prevention (tantsho borukhutlhi), neighbourhood watch (ntebele ke go lebele) and volunteer police, as this can help cut the alarming crime rate in Tsolamosese.  When commenting, Thapelo Moumakwa, a youth volunteer at Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC), pleaded with the residents to come forward and volunteer in crime prevention schemes so as to reduce crime in their ward. He told the residents that if they united to fight crime Tsolamosese would be a better and safer place for all.

He also pointed out that some parents protect their children from the long arm of the law even though they know that their children are involved in criminal acts. He said that shielding children from the wrath of the law does not benefit such parents because they become their victims in the long run.'I urge parents to stop protecting their children from justice. We know that there are many parents in this ward who have a tendency to protect their children from the law or dismiss people who come with complaints that such children steal from them or beat them.

'Please help us show such children the right path instead of letting them take the wrong path that would land them in jail,' he admonished.He urged parents to report their children if they feel that they cannot control them in order to protect themselves and those around them. Moumakwa also expressed his disappointment over parents who let their children gamble (playing dice or cards) at a young age saying that this has destroyed many children's future as some end up dropping out of school.Furthermore, he encouraged youth to follow in his footsteps and volunteer in many organisations, including the police volunteer scheme, as this can give them an opportunity to get good references from the government and jobs or financial assistance.

Teacher Makhura, who coordinates the crime prevention scheme in the area, called on the youth to join him. He advised them to join the police volunteer programme.  He said that they want 24 volunteers in Tsolamosese this month and called on the youth to apply. He also told the residents that they are working with police officers on the beat to make it easier for people to access police assistance in their ward. 'We have talked with the main office at Mogoditshane to send officers to our office in this Kgotla so that we can be able to fight crime. There will be no longer cries over thieves who steal from you at bus stops as we intend to spread all over Tsolamosese and work on shifts,' he assured the residents.