Students raise safety issues with the MEC
Students raise safety issues with the MEC
MEC of Community Safety: Ms Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane demonstrating how the Memeza safety alarm operates
Nontobeko Zondi
The MEC of Community Safety: Ms Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, in collaboration with the SAPS, Metro Police, the Sedibeng District Municipality Mayor and the Emfuleni Local Municipality Executive Mayor held a safety dialogue at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) on Monday, 17 September for Safety Awareness Week.
The dialogue was for the VUT and North West University (NWU) students to discuss the impact of crime on and off their campuses. The dialogue follows a number of safety concerns such as rape, robberies and burglary incidents raised by the student community at the two institutions of higher learning.
The MEC emphasised that: “No means no. Rape has turned into a culture in our universities.” She encouraged student leaders to raise safety issues on behalf of other students.
As part of the engagement, students expressed their frustrations and concerns for their safety on and around campus. The law-enforcement officials who were present replied to questions and concerns raised by the students.
Students singing revolutionary songs
“Dress codes don’t invite rape… All issues raised in this platform will be taken-up with the law-enforcement agencies, SAPS and landlords,” the MEC said. As part of the resolutions, the MEC informed the students that they will increase patrolling in the areas and deploy a rotating security kiosk at VUT that will move around the institution and will be operating 24/7.
The event included with a 3km safety walk which started at Bedworth Park Shopping Centre, proceeded through some of the hotspots along Karing and Polen Roads and then culminated at the Amphitheatre where the dialogue took place.
The MEC took the opportunity to hand over about 1000 Memeza Safety alarms and pepper sprays to identified, vulnerable female students.
