GOVERNMENT ADAMANT IN ERADICATING STOCK THEFT

The Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Motsoahae Thabane, says the government is adamant in cleaning up intolerable practices of people, who bully others and live at the expense of the poor, especially stock-theft thieves.

The minister was addressing the Bela-Bela community on Thursday. He said, electors have voted the present government in trust that it would fight crime to an end to maintain a peaceful environment. He said, despite the shortage of resources such as police manpower, the community and the police should insist working together and commit themselves in crime prevention activities.

The minister called on members of the community at Bela-Bela to be committed in the crime prevention, adding that people's participation in these campaigns is crucial.
Mr. Thabane with strong terms, appealed to stock-theft perpetrators to refrain from their ill practices, as the government will not hesitate to take harsh measures against them.

The Kueneng and Mapoteng Principal chief 'Mantoetse Lesaoana Peete also described livestock thieves as heartless with no sense of compassion to the poor, who struggle to make ends meet. Chieftainess Peete appealed to communities to report to her office and the other chiefs who deal with livestock thieves so that they could be disciplined and be put before the courts of law. The Assistant Commissioner of police,ACP Borotho warned that the kind of crime that takes place in the villages is an organized one.  He however, noted with concern that lately, crime in the country is committed by youth, who are out of control. He blamed some parents, who he said encourage  their children to participate in such negative activities.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Mr. Malefetsane Makoanye expressed concern on the escalating stock-theft crime in the area, and appealed to the government to double its strength to bring the prevailing situation under control.

17 October, 2002