Since the beginning of 2022, the BDF has been hit by recurring incidents of homicide and suicide with some members killing their spouses or girlfriends. Moreover, across the country, some BDF members also appear in different courts of law in relation to crimes such as rape, defilement, and murder. In a bid to deal with the problem, and also concerned with these rising cases, the BDF leadership this week hosted a mass lecture on mental health for its personnel. The seminar was attended by soldiers across the ranks at the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks (SSKB).
The mass lecture is one of the many strategies employed by the BDF to sensitise its personnel on gender based violence (GBV), suicide and financial literacy. Early this year, the Defence and Security minister, Kagiso Mmusi expressed concern over the negative incidents involving members of the BDF, which he said drag the institution's reputation in the mud. “Of recent the BDF has been leading local news with incidents that are not pleasing. I was embarrassed by one of the local newspapers’ front page, I could not read it. After receiving that newspaper, I immediately threw it inside the dustbin because I was humiliated. You are a disciplined organisation and I am pleading with you to behave as such,” said Mmusi then.
