- Ongoing money heists did not get a mention in Masisi’s SONA
- Business Botswana says is it shocked and disappointed
- Private security companies association equally concerned
TEFO PHEAGE
Business Botswana and the Association of Private Security Companies have expressed shock and disappointment with President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s lack of a word about the unprecedented heists that target businesses in Gaborone and other parts of the country in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
Contrary to expectations, the President did not mention the disturbing phenomenon even where his speech focused on the security of the nation. “This is a huge concern not only to the business community and investors but to everybody,” said the CEO of Business Botswana, Norman Moleele. “It is a huge security issue and many were hoping to hear the President’s voice on it. We were shocked that not even a single word relating to money heists was uttered by the President in his SONA.”
His words were echoed by the Chairman of Security Association Botswana, Gaolatlhe Mudongo, who said the attitude of the President raises a lot of questions. “How does one really explain the state of the country’s security and not mention these heists? It is a misrepresentation of what is on the ground that amounts to misleading information. These heists are tormenting the business community and investors and people need to hear about interventions of the government. The government needs to restore the trust to affected communities,” Mudongo said.
Asked why the heists were not even mentioned in the SONA, the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Kagiso Mmusi, said they believe that the public is aware of what the government is doing to address the issue. “Just recently we were on national television and various media platforms discussing this issue,” Mmusi asserted.