This segment marks the conclusion of our successful, multi-platform road safety and crime prevention campaign, launched in December. This initiative was a valued partnership involving the Botswana Police Service, the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA), Chobe Holdings Limited, and Xigera Safari Lodge
The campaign strategically targeted the busy festive season. It served as a critical platform to amplify timely messages of road traffic safety and crime prevention, with the ultimate goal of ensuring an accident- and crime-free holiday period and beyond. Our motivation was clear: to champion community service and establish road safety and crime prevention as a shared responsibility for all stakeholders, moving beyond the traditional role of the police alone.
We effectively leveraged the momentum of the Botswana Police and Botswana Defence Force’s own Operation Pabalesego 2 campaign, which began in mid-November 2025. Our media platforms provided a vital channel to further amplify and distribute these crucial messages to a wider audience.
The MVA was a vital strategic partner, leading the national road safety effort. Their teams conducted joint roadblocks on the A1, A3, and A2 main roads. In partnership with the police, BDF, and other stakeholders, they performed essential roadside educational engagements and law enforcement checks to ensure full compliance with the Road Traffic Act.
Across our digital and print platforms, The Ngami Times delivered campaign information instantly—often in real-time. This approach proved highly successful. The significant engagement on our online platforms demonstrated strong public interest in the various topics shared, successfully triggering much-needed debates and attention.
Chobe Holdings Limited and Xigera joined as key sponsors, ensuring the campaign had the necessary support to run through to its effective conclusion. As prominent tourism operators in the Maun region, employing hundreds of people, they recognised the immense value in disseminating critical information. This ensured that their employees, and the wider community, could enjoy accident- and crime-free festivities. This socially responsible duo was instrumental in supporting an initiative otherwise overlooked by others in the industry.
The campaign undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the realisation of a generally much quieter festive season. This success is clearly evidenced by the statistics shared by the police after their operation ended on January 6. The data projects that with continued effort and broader stakeholder participation, our roads can be safer, properties more secure, and communities free from fear during celebrations.
Loud and clear feedback from the public during our engagements emphasised that road safety and crime prevention should not be a single event, but a continuous process conducted throughout the year. They suggested starting with monthly campaigns, arguing that a regular presence would entrench these messages in the public consciousness and eventually turn them into a habit. While resource constraints—funding and personnel—will always be a challenge, this sustained approach offers the best way to foster a culture of road safety and crime prevention.
The Ngami Times remains committed to this noble exercise, targeting all holidays throughout the year, and we hope other stakeholders will join and support this vital initiative. Furthermore, in all our day-to-day reporting, we will consistently endeavor to cover road safety and crime prevention issues.
