COPS EMBARRASSMENT

THE rate at which motor vehicles are stolen in Eswatini is shocking and distressful. The apparent cause of this upward spiral remains a subject for many a guessing game.

The most common belief is this is because imported cars known locally as ‘emaDubai’ are no longer affordable.

Government’s decision to cut down on imports from countries outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) has seen importers of these cars raising their prices because the levy they pay on older vehicles has increased.

Others believe the unemployment rate is to blame for this state of affairs because other crimes like robbery and housebreaking are also on the rise. A solution seems impossible right now.

In such cases, citizens rely on law enforcement agencies like the police and soldiers, who patrol the country’s borders to stop the criminals.

However, in Eswatini, the police seemed to be as puzzled as the general car owner.

Being always a step ahead, criminals have become aware of this bafflement and are using it to their advantage. They are stealing cars willy-nilly, even in broad daylight.

The theft of two Honda Fit hatchbacks in Mbabane on Tuesday is a classic example.

This one was embarrassing for the police because the armed hijackers grabbed the cars from owners, drove down to Ezulwini to commit robberies, then drove back to Mbabane where they happily passed, heading for the Ngwenya Border.

They abandoned the cars next to the borderline and disappeared.

There is no police force in a country where criminals steal cars in town in broad daylight, drive around in them and return to the same city without being stopped.