Southern Africa: Fortress for vehicle thieves
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Leaders of the southern part of Africa argue at regional summits about the need to develop closer economic integration among the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries.
But SADC leaders seem to have been outmoded by organized criminal groups operating day and night in the region, investigations carried out by this publication for the past two months have established.
WeekendPost has established that organized criminal groups targeting vehicles have already succeeded in creating a free trade zone for illicit commerce in the region. Senior Superintended Dipheko Motube of the Botswana Police Service (BPS) confirmed that statistics shows that the crime of motor vehicle thefts is prevalent.
“21 cases of motor vehicle or being found with a motor vehicle suspected to have been stolen outside the borders of Botswana were recorded in 2014,” revealed Motube in an interview.
These cases are of vehicles intercepted in Botswana being stolen from South Africa, he said.
Motube added that 17 similar cases were recorded from January 2015 to the end of September which were also from South Africa. He said intelligence agencies gathered suggestions that these vehicles are taken through Botswana to other countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi where market is believed to be always ready and lucrative.
“We cannot confirm that these (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi) are the final destinations for these suspected stolen vehicles still proceed further to countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola,” said Motube.
According to Motube, The main victims are South African citizens and Insurance companies based in the RSA.
Motube quashed allegations some of the governmental officials employed within the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) and BPS are working hand in glove with the syndicates in ensuring the smooth illegal transit of these stolen vehicles.
“We have no information on government officials being involved in this kind of cross border crimes,” said Motube. He added: “Our position is to tirelessly fight cross border crimes as we have strategies in place to curb this crime.
Botswana police have deployed trained officers on various entrance and exit points of this country and the strategy is working as the results above attest since many of the culprits are being arrested.
The then Head of the Sub-Regional Bureau of Interpol in Harare, Zimbabwe Commissioner Frank Msutu once said: “They (vehicle theft syndicates) seem to know who to contact at all times and budgetary constraints, foreign currency shortages, visa problems or governmental authority to travel do not control their movements.”
A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) indicates that organized criminal groups originating from within the various SADC countries and not necessarily international criminal groups are behind much of the crime in the region.
During 2000 a total of 100 647 motor vehicles and motor cycles were reported stolen in South Africa. In addition, police recorded a total of 14 999 cases of motor vehicle ‘hijacking’ (the taking of a vehicle from the driver through force or the threat of force).
It is important to bear in mind that a considerable number of these vehicles may not have been stolen or hijacked at all, but were reported as such for the purpose of laying false insurance claims.
For example, the Tanzanian police have complained that they are holding hundreds of vehicles reported stolen in South Africa but find some of the original South African vehicle owners reluctant to turn up to recover them.
Tanzanian police investigations have shown that some of the original owners had sold their vehicles and then reported them stolen in order to collect from their insurance companies.
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GAMBLING AUTHORITY SHARES BEST PRACTICES WITH UK-BASED GAMBLING COMMISSION
The Gambling Authority continues to collaborate with international organisations and other jurisdictions to combat illegal gambling activities and share best practices for regulation of the industry.
Just recently (last week), the Gambling Authority Board Chairman, Mr. Marvin Thokodzani Torto, and Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Emolemo Peter Kesitilwe visited the United Kingdom (UK), Birmingham-based Gambling Commission on a benchmarking exercise aimed at maximising benefits of gambling to the economy while minimising harm to individuals and society.
The Gambling Commission is an executive, non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for regulating gambling and supervising gaming law in Great Britain.
During the visit, the Gambling Commission shared with the Gambling Authority how they regulate the industry in Great Britain, how it’s changed over the years, and how their learnings can assist the Gambling Authority as they enter a new era of growth and expansion with the desire to implement industry best practice for their future work.
Furthermore, the two entities discussed various measures aimed at preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime, as well as ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way, and further protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
The meeting also provided a timely opportunity to catch up on preparations for the upcoming International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) event being held in Gaborone, Botswana next month (October 16th – 19th, 2023).
“We’re looking forward to attending and meeting other gambling regulators from across the world to share best practice, discuss common challenges and tackle illegal gambling in ways that makes regulation work for all. Many thanks to Mr Marvin Thokodzani Torto (Chair) and Mr Peter Emolemo Kesitilwe (Acting CEO) for taking the time to visit us,” read a communique from Gambling Commission.
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Civil society reflect on Botswana’s progress in SDGs
This week, the civil society assembled and reflected on the status of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organizations, Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (BOCONGO), Global Call for Action Against Poverty as well as Success Capital congregated to recommend priorities for Botswana’s progress in Agenda 2030.
This year (2023) marks the mid-point, with only seven years left to accelerate climate action, eliminating poverty, hunger and ensure gender equality among thirteen other SDGs. The civil society says the global commitment has been integrated across national development plans and aligned to regional integration mechanisms and multilateral interventions.
“Botswana should not be an exception to ensuring the fulfilment of the SDGs: from ensuring capacity to collect data, to addressing governance shortcomings and service delivery. The People’s Assembly joins the rest of the world in galvanizing stakeholders towards ensuring no one is left behind.”
Civil society indicated that it ensured priority issues were raised at 2022’s Voluntary National Reviews that the government reported on; illuminating the gaps and aspirations for more meaningful engagement and inclusion.
“This year, challenges and shortcomings remain the same. Increasing concerns on gender-based violence, safety, media freedom, civil society resourcing, stigma, discrimination, non-communicable diseases and HIV/AIDS among other notable health challenges across the public health spectrum. We continue to raise concern across different platforms and mechanisms to ensure commitments are fulfilled and shortcomings addressed,” the civil society said.
The civil society called on Botswana to strengthen the baseline for measuring and collecting data on SDGs. “We also call on government to strengthen avenues for collaborative partnerships that leave no one behind. Representation in social participation mechanisms should reflect those most impacted. This should translate to expanding ‘who’ and ‘how’ communities and civil society are invited to decision making mechanisms.”
“Harnessing the demographic dividend of Botswana’s youth and diverse communities should be institutionalized and encouraged under the mindset change campaign. We implore for increased opportunities for dialogue and complimentary implementation in ensuring no one is left behind by engaging civil society meaningfully. This includes formal inclusion, representation and resourcing for civil society to participate in national, regional and global fora”
Furthermore, the civil society called on the private sector to engage them to advance the SDGs. “Multisectoral approaches can only strengthen development outcomes if hard-to-reach communities are included. We are on the ground as complimentary partners to the country’s development agenda.”
BOCONGO Executive Director, Maipelo Phale, said for SDGs to be accelerated, implemented and realized, all sectors of society should come up with robust partnership models to leverage the country’s development agenda.
“The People’s Assembly is a collective global form of solidarity and action reflecting how even with limited resources020, we can gather and unite for accelerating progress for the Decade of Action. Our members should continuously engage for our issues to be heard in spaces such as the United Nations General Assembly.”
Success Capital Founder, Dumiso Gatsha said Botswana is leading in reported rape incidents and inequality, stressing that this should not reflect in SDG progress and implementation.
“We should harness our leadership at the World Health Organization’s Executive Board, Southern African Development Committee (SADC) Secretariat and SADC Parliamentary Forum to improve Botswana civil society engagement. This can only be achieved through harnessing, strengthening and including grassroots civil society, communities and groups in Vision 2036 and Agenda 2063.”
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BPS, Mosala Funeral Parlour butt heads over SA national remains
A squabble has broken out between Pule Mosala Funeral Parlour and the Botswana Police Service (BPS) over the remains of a South African national who has been in the Mosala mortuary for more than nineteen months. The deceased was one of 10 suspects who were controversially shot dead during a lengthy shootout with law enforcement authorities in Gaborone’s Phase 2 early last year.
The deceased individual’s family based in Soweto, has encountered difficulties in repatriating the body which has been in the care of Mosala Mortuary Services. Following the incident, it has emerged that all 10 bodies were transported to PFG mortuary in Lobatse for a brief period while the police attempted to locate their next of kin. It is reported that the families of the deceased were eventually identified and informed to come and identify their loved ones, including other South African nationals who were part of the criminal group. These families also witnessed the autopsy procedures conducted at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone.
Except for the family from Soweto, nine of the bodies were claimed and taken by their separate relatives. The Soweto family claims they lack the resources to bring the body back to South Africa and has made it known that they are looking for money. To end the supposed verbal agreement over the body’s storage for repatriation, Mosala Funeral Service has filed a case against the police at the Lobatse High Court.
According to Keakantse Mmotlhana, the company’s Sales and Marketing Manager, 10 people who were killed in Phase 2 by gunfire were all temporarily transferred to one of PFG’s branches in Lobatse by the police while efforts were made to find their next of kin. She expressed outrage at the statement made by the Minister of Defense and Security, recently.
After Assistant Police Commissioner Dipheko Motube called her office to apologize for giving the Minister wrong information during a news conference, she confirmed that they had accepted the apologies. He made it clear that one of the victims was still at Pule Mortuary in Lobatse.
Bushie Mosala, the director and owner of Mosala Funeral Services, confirmed that the body of a South African national has been in his mortuary for the past nineteen months. He expressed his desire for the police to remove the corpse from the mortuary, characterising the situation as a “nightmare.” He has instructed his legal team to file a lawsuit against the police in the Lobatse High Court concerning the body.
Mosala urged the acting Police Commissioner to come forward and apologize to the nation for the situation, asserting that the public has the right to know the truth regarding the body of the South African national, w
C -002Bhich was preserved by the police as evidence.
The South African High Commission in Gaborone had not responded to queries from Weekend Post at the time going of going to press.