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tourists <strong>in</strong> an area provide a source for illegal activities <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g drug traffick<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

robbery and violence. In Maun, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> crime can be attributed both to <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> and <strong>the</strong> rate <strong>of</strong> urbanization. Apart from <strong>the</strong> peri-urban villages<br />

<strong>of</strong> Mogoditshane, Tlokweng and Bobonong <strong>in</strong> Botswana, Maun's population has<br />

grown faster than that <strong>of</strong> any o<strong>the</strong>r village/town <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country. O<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>frastructural<br />

developments such as hotels and lodges, wholesale and retail centres, and<br />

telecommunications have also dramatically <strong>in</strong>creased over <strong>the</strong> last decade. The<br />

growth <strong>of</strong> Maun <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> population, trade and <strong>in</strong>frastructure is also directly<br />

associated with <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> crime <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> town (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

Table 8.1: Reported Crime Statistics <strong>in</strong> Maun, 1999 to 2001<br />

Year<br />

Reported<br />

Cases <strong>of</strong><br />

Theft<br />

O<strong>the</strong>r<br />

Total<br />

Reported<br />

Cases<br />

Annual rate 01<br />

Increase (%)<br />

1999 431 2343 2774<br />

2000 501 2568 3069 10<br />

2001 642 3429 4071 25<br />

Total 1574 8340 9914 17.5<br />

Source: Adapted From Mbaiwa, 2002.<br />

Table 8.1 Shows that crime <strong>in</strong>creased by 17.5 percent between 1999 and 2001 <strong>in</strong><br />

Maun. Petty <strong>the</strong>ft was noted by <strong>the</strong> Maun Police Station Commander as be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

most common crime <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> town. Drug traffick<strong>in</strong>g, which is usually associated with<br />

<strong>tourism</strong> was reported to be almost non-existent <strong>in</strong> Maun (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

8.2.1 Migration <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta<br />

The levels <strong>of</strong> out-migration <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ngamiland District from rural agricultural villages to<br />

<strong>the</strong> major towns <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region have <strong>in</strong>creased drastically s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> early 1990s. The<br />

population <strong>of</strong> Maun <strong>in</strong>creased by some 38,9 percent from 26 768 <strong>in</strong> 1991 to 43 776<br />

<strong>in</strong> 2001, and similar situations are present <strong>in</strong> Shakawe and Etsa 6. The <strong>tourism</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry has contributed to this rural-urban migration. The growth <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Okavango Delta, especially Maun, has led to significant <strong>in</strong>frastructure development<br />

and resultant employment opportunities. These <strong>in</strong>clude opportunities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourism</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry itself, as well as <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> retail, trade, wholesale, transportation, education and<br />

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