Putting safety first
Putting safety first
Londiwe Dube
Community Safety personnel during the community safety engagement with VUT staff and students
On Friday,21 February, the Community Engagement Department of the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) held an event at the Amphitheatre aimed at encouraging students and staff to be aware of their safety at all times. Ms Kediemetse Mokotsi: Director of Marketing and Public Relations in the Department of Corporate Affairs, welcomed all the guests.
Mr Joseph Radebe, acting Director of Community Engagement said that it was shocking how students have to live in fear of being raped or killed in a society that has become increasingly judgemental and where injustice is rife: “At VUT we condemn women and child abuse. Every culprit who victimises people through abuse will be dealt with,” he vowed.
The world has become the scariest place to survive, he said. We are now surrounded by people who claim to love women and children but who harm them if they do not get what they want.
Miss Faith Mocoancoeng, Manager of VUT Res Life, also advised students on the use of contraception and the safety of students in residences.
In closing, the Sedibeng Visible Policing (Vispol) Commander, Brigadier Mokoena encouraged students to report any form of abuse immediately. He further added: “Everyone’s input in contributing to making our society and communities a better place, by reporting any form of incidents that constrains safety of the next person, is valuable.”
Students are encouraged to always remember that they should Seek safety, Aim safety, Follow safety, Ensure safety, Teach safety, and Yield safety all the day of their lives.
