Gaborone — Acting commissioner of Botswana Police Services (BPS), Ms Dinah Marathe, has commended the public for a positive attitude during the festive season.
Speaking during a press briefing in Gaborone on January 7, she said most members of the public remained relentless in efforts to ensure compliance with the curfew times and observing COVID-19 safety measures.
She urged the public to continue with the spirit since it would enable the police service to fully conduct daily activities and mandate with ease.
Ms Marathe also said such spirit would also enable cooperation and collaboration between the police and the communities that could go a long way in assisting in the fight of the pandemic.
She also said communities should not perceive the extension of curfew restrictions as a punishment, rather they should know that it was done for a good purpose to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“Some people have not taken kindly to the extension of the curfew restrictions, the intention was not to disadvantage anyone rather it was meant to try possible means that would help to curb the spread of the virus,” she said.
Ms Marathe further said although most people were abiding by COVID 19 pandemic safety measures, she was not happy about some individuals who still engaged in unlawful gatherings.
She said over the festive season, a number of unlawful gatherings were observed at some villages, farms and settlements.
Ms Marathe said it was observed that some people failed to keep up to the safety measures such as social distancing, wearing of face masks among others.
She said despite the challenges, collaboration and cooperation they had with the community, traditional leadership and the Botswana Defence Force enabled them to calm the situation.
The Acting police chief further said the 16 days of activism against Gender based Violence as well as the “60 Days of Action on Crime and Road Safety” also gave them an extra mile towards the fight of related crime activities.
Ms Marathe noted that the police service would engage in public education as way of sensitizing communities on different crime activities and safety measures. BOPA
<i>Source : BOPA</i>