Safety issues are under the spotlight at the University of the Free State (UFS) following a number of incidents that took place in recent weeks at the Bloemfontein campus Main Gate, including the fatal accident of a young female student who was hit by a bakkie in April. Members of the university’s senior leadership group have met with representatives of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) earlier this week to discuss interventions to make the intersection at the Main Gate of the Bloemfontein campus safer for pedestrians and students.
According to information provided by the university on Twitter, medium- to long-term interventions will include a speed camera to ensure that traffic slows down in the area. “An LED traffic sign will be installed and this will provide instructions on stopping and going,” the Twitter post said. It also goes on to say that additional signage will be placed at the pedestrian crossing at the main gate to ensure that both students and pedestrians are familiar with the sequencing of the robots and the replacement of the traffic light on the island.
“The emphasis on road safety and the general safety of students and staff on and off all the campuses remains a top priority for the university’s executive management. Therefore, initiatives such as road-safety awareness campaigns will continue on all the campuses,” the university said on the social media post. Meanwhile, UFS Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Asive Dlanjwa, revealed that students, staff and members of the Bloemfontein community will be part of a Safety Awareness March that will take place next week Wednesday.
The march is set to start at the University’s Bloemfontein campus and will then proceed to the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality’s (MMM) offices, where students will hand over their grievances on safety in the metro to either the Executive Mayor or the City Manager. Dlanjwa said that this is in particular reference to the fact that the municipality has not been fulfilling its role in ensuring student safety, particularly in areas close to the university where students live offcampus, like Brandwag and Universitas. He says the municipality has not yet set up by-laws and accreditation for offcampus students, which would go a long way in improving safety conditions in ensuring safety in areas where students live off-campus. Another issue he mentions are streets that are notorious for muggings and theft and this is owing to the fact that there are no street lights in these areas.
With both exams and winter approaching, many students will now find themselves vulnerable to theft and muggings as they will be walking a lot more than they usually do, owing to on-campus library visits. “We will be meeting with the mayor, Olly Mlamleli, next week Tuesday on this matter and on Wednesday, we will have the march, despite our meeting with her,” Dlanjwa said. “But it’s not all bad. The police for instance, have increased their on and offcampus visibility and crime response time, despite the fact that they have limited cars and resources. This is an improvement, it’s a step in the right direction,” he said. – Pulane Choane
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