Student 'police' patrols to stop adbuctions, robberies on campus

Stellenbosch University students have been encouraged to start their own neighbourhood watch – complete with uniforms and batons supplied by the province – to combat crime at the university. Image: SPIA

Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato made the proposal to the students during a tour of the campus earlier this week.

His visit was prompted by the kidnapping of Ilze-Dene Oberholzer on the campus last week. It was the fourth kidnapping at the university since February.

The 21-year-old was about to write a test on Monday (19 May) night when she was accosted by two men who bundled her into a car and drove away. She escaped unhurt when the abductors tried to put her into another car. Night-time tests have been discontinued.

On Saturday (17 May) a student was robbed of her cellphone at knifepoint near her university residence.

"The students should become part of the policing forum and also start a neighbourhood watch on their campus as a supplement to the security guards," said Plato. "Students know the hot spots. My department will provide training and uniforms to them," he added

Plato said he was worried about the growing number of kidnappings in Stellenbosch, with most of the victims being women.

He said he would take the police to task and ask for conviction statistics for kidnapping in the area.

The university's spokesman, Martin Viljoen, confirmed that Marni Kirsten was robbed on the campus on Saturday night.

Viljoen said the university had invested more than R10m on installing 200 CCTV cameras over the years.

Tosca Ferndale, a member of the student council, welcomed Plato's proposal.

Nadia Gava, another student, said: "This has been happening for a while. It is now in the spotlight because there are more people who are willing to report it. The recent incidents emphasise the seriousness of the situation."

Brigadier Dirk Mentoor, the SAPS Stellenbosch Security Cluster Commander, said preventing such crime was a problem for the police because the campus was open to the public.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge