Africa-Press – Botswana. Mogoditshane/Thamaga council officials have expressed concern over an influx of illegal immigrants, particularly those of Zimbabwean and Nigerian decent operating unlicensed businesses in Mogoditshane.
These immigrants are operating garages, brickyards and welding businesses without licenses.
The council chairperson Mr Ofentse Mafoko revealed on Monday when addressing councillors during a full council session.
Further, he said the council was also concerned about a high number of Zimbabwean citizens involved in illegal mining of river sand in the district.
“Fortunately there is a task team mandated to arrest the perpetrators and charge them accordingly,” Mafoko emphasised.
To date, he said about 51 trucks had been ambushed by the said task force team.
Still on the issue of illegal activities, Councillor Mafoko stated that the council had discovered that most businesses in their policing area were trading without licenses and failed to pay annual fees.
He said during the month of January to February seven bars were charged and two closed down after joint operations with other stakeholders were carried out.
He noted that Thamaga policing area was also faced with a challenge of illegal mining of river sand along Metsimotlhabe River.
The perpetrators, he said, were also Zimbabwean citizens, some of whom were employed by Batswana.
Although law enforcement officers impounded their vehicles and imposed stiffer fines, Councillor Mafoko said it was disappointing since the culprits were not deterred by these fines and continued to repeat the offence, thereby rendering the efforts fruitless.
On other issues, he said gender- based violence was another huge challenge in the district, as such, posed a threat to those affected.
“Our findings have proven that GBV affected a vast majority of young girls and women,” he revealed.”
Currently, he said 91 cases had been reported from January to February.
On the same vein, he said violent crimes such as murder and rape were also prevalent in the district.
To date he said police had recorded 15 murders and 33 rape cases with all victims being women. He said most of the murders were passion killings resulting from GBV whilst others were a result of alcohol-related misunderstandings.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
