Africa-Press – Botswana. Hukuntsi police station is among the 28 that have been approved for construction during the coming financial year, says Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi.
Addressing a kgotla meeting in Hukuntsi recently, he said vseven staff houses would be constructed along with the police station. Minister Mmusi said cash heists and COVID-19 pandemic drained their coffers as hence the delay in implementing some projects.
The minister said their mandate was to create a safe community for all and that under their transformation strategy they would launch fully fledged departments of stock theft, gender-based violence and drug enforcement. He added that they had recruited 1 000 officers to mitigate shortage of police officers across the country.
On other related issues, the minister implored retired police officers to join hands with community members in fighting crime.
For his part, Acting Police Commissioner, Mr Phemelo Ramakorwane informed residents that Tshane Police Station continue operating and funds amounting to P10 million had been secured for its face-lifting as well as renovation of staff houses.
The acting police commissioner also raised concern about underutilisation of police services at at Hukuntsi Customary Court as people opted to go to Tshane. He urged the Village Development Committee (VDC) and others to assist government with accommodation.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Merapelo Tshweneyagae pleaded with the minister to consider constructing a district police station since their constituency had been upgraded into a fully-fledged district. He said the village was growing and crime was likely to increase.
Kgosi Tshweneyagae said stock theft, poaching, gender-based violence as well as substance and drug abuse plagued his village. A Hukuntsi resident, Mr Gideon Matere complained about the crumbling Tshane Police Station and its staff houses. He also said they were built with asbestos, which was a health hazard.
Mr Gotsilemang Mautle welcomed the decision to build a police station in Hukuntsi and pleaded with the minister to beef up the stock theft unit while awaiting execution of the transformation strategy.
He also complained that Tshane Police Station was operating with one police officer which caused delays in prosecuting cases.
Mr Mautle also pleaded with the minister and other relevant officials to promote hard working officers as a way of boosting their morale. In her closing remarks, Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi North, Ms Talita Monnakgotla pleaded with the minister to consider constructing a police district, saying it would enable them to attract more investors to their constituency.
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