Letlhakane: A village gripped by atrocities

Recently, Letlhakane recorded five rape cases in just one week, something that questions the safety and security of women and girls. Incidents of violent crimes in Letlhakane have left the womenfolk living in constant fear of being sexually molested by lustful rapists. Their fear is confirmed by the alarming cases as the village has been the hub of social ills such as rape, defilement and murder, amongst others, for years.

The nerve-wreaking trend has become a norm despite several interventions by the police and other stakeholders to nip the rape incidents in the bud. Letlhakane, a mining town, is overwhelmed by these cases as they continue to register cases of rape, murder and defilement. During the 50th Botswana Police Senior Officers annual conference that was held earlier this year, the police revealed that murder cases have increased by four percent from last year. For years, the country has been battling with escalating cases of defilement that even spiralled out of control during the lockdown periods as some family members demonstrated behaviours that their family were not aware of. As the numbers reduced in some areas, they continued to escalate in Letlhakane with two to three cases recorded weekly.