The commander of the Local Police, Tlhabologo Mmolawa urged the officers to wait as their working conditions are being reviewed. "They must work and stop complaining. They know their mandate. They will get their dues when the time is right. A ko ba iketle ba bereke ba lese modumo, a ga ba itse gore moja morago ke Kgosi?" he said. He was confident that the Ministry of Local Government would come up with a better pay package for the LPOs soon.
Local Government Deputy Permanent Secretary Thato Raphaka confirmed that they are currently looking into the working conditions of LPOs. "These include office accommodation and housing accommodation. We are also in the process of finalising the long pending Local Police Draft Bill. In fact it is our considered view that the proposed Local Police Bill will facilitate some improved working conditions for our LPOs," he said. There are currently 1,955 LPOs in the country.
The MP for Tonota South, Pono Moatlhodi has been spearheading a campaign for improvement of working conditions for LPOs. On many occasions he has told Parliament that the officers walk long distances to arrest dangerous criminals in whose houses they sleep.
