If you ever find yourself in a position where you need police emergency help, do not bother dialing 999 on your cell phone because it will not help.
Presidential Affairs Minister Phandu Skelemani told Parliament this week that when you dial 999 on your cell phone, the call would be diverted to an unintended police station.
“I wish to state that with the advent of cellular phone service provider, there have been some problems encountered throughout the country whereby 999 calls may be answered at unintended police stations. This is a result of the base station to which cell phone affiliates at the time the call is made.”
Skelemani says the Botswana Police Service is in the process of engaging cellular phone service providers to correct the situation.
The minister said “since 14th November this year, policing areas are being defined in terms of cellular phones network coverage.
Once this information is available, negotiations will be commenced with service providers to urge them to configure their service routes in order to ensure that 999 calls made within a policing area are routed to the appropriate Police Station.
Skelemani was answering questions from Tonota South MP Pono Moatlhodi
