Africa-Press – Botswana. Kgosi Disho Ndhowe of Seronga has appealed to government to consider intensifying patrols along the Botswana/Namibia border to curb the rising incidents of stock theft.
He made the appeal during a kgotla meeting addressed by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on November 30.
He said cross-border livestock rustling was a challenge in his area, adding that residents were losing their animals on a daily basis.
He noted that livestock contributed significantly to the livelihood of people living in rural areas and was an only source of income and sustenance for some.
Kgosi Ndhowe however, appreciated police efforts in the fight against stock theft, but said it was not enough as the perpetrators carried dangerous objects.
He said residents had relocated from their farms, cattle posts to the village in fear of the cattle rustlers.
Kgosi Ndhowe also urged government to provide water to wild animals in their habitat to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. He said wild animals encroached on human settlements in search of water and food.
Wildlife and humans, he said, were competing for water in the Okavango River and that resulted in conflicts and damage to property, the killing of animals or humans and damage to crops.
He said drilling boreholes for the animals in their habitat would be a lasting solution.
In response, Deputy Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Cyprian Magalela concurred that stock rustlers had become a nuisance to farmers along the border, noting that the police had recorded a number of stock theft incidents in which perpetrators went to Angola and Zambia. He added that they recently arrested five Zambian nationals in connection with incident of stock theft while 15 animals were found in Angola.
To arrest the situation, he said they had increased their visibility in areas along the border.
With regard to wildlife issues, acting wildlife director, Mr Moemi Batshabang informed residents that they had the right to protect themselves and their property against animals.
He said the department’s officers also helped in chasing the animals from residential areas and killing those that posed danger to communities. He added that the elephant population had increased significantly.
Mr Batshabang also told the meeting that hunting was ongoing to reduce human-wildlife conflict. He said the department had drilled boreholes for wildlife in Kasane, but that elephants continued to drink from the Chobe River because they also wanted to cool themselves.
Mr Tebogo Boalotswe from Natural Selection Safari said they would work with the Department of Wildlife to drill boreholes for wildlife, promising that the first borehole would be operational by March next year. Their aim, he said, was to separate wild animals from livestock.
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