A STUDENT was mugged at gunpoint in the new Science Stadium on West Campus on Tuesday afternoon (17 July).
Sibulele Zide, a BSc student, was held up by two men who stuffed his scarf in his mouth and tied him up.
The robbers made off with his cell phone and wallet that contained his student card.
“The first guy just took out a taser and he put it on. I thought [he was] joking, I even laughed a little,” said Zide.
“The other guy showed me a gun and moved to block the door and cocked the gun, that’s when I realised it was serious.”
Zide said he started to empty out his pockets without any instruction.
The two men led him to a disabled toilet and told him to lie flat on his stomach. His hands were tied and they took his belt.
According to Zide, the men hung around waiting for another person to rob. Two other students walked in and the robbers then left.
“I tried to make a noise so they could hear me,” said Zide. When the students found him they thought it was a prank at first.
He went to Campus Control and made a statement. He was taken to the police station to open a case on Wednesday morning.
Security on campus
Zide said he found the security on campus “pathetic”. There are no security cameras at the Science Stadium and so he had to rely on his “confused” memory for a physical description of the muggers.
“If there were cameras they would have been caught already.”
Tracking of his student card revealed the robbers exited at the turnstiles near the Jubilee Residence. “The camera there only took pictures of their backs … security is pathetic,” said Zide.
“I lost trust in the security at Wits that day … how do you tell your parents you were mugged on campus? This is the one place we are meant to be safe.”
“Campus Control technical unit is currently viewing CCTV footage … plans are in place to increase the visibility of security with additional patrols, increase the dog unit, introduce a second response vehicle and review and extend our CCTV coverage,” said the head of Campus Control, Rob Kemp.
Zide said he takes more precautions on campus now after the incident. “I can’t just piss anywhere now … you know how everyone has their favourite toilet. I liked that one, it was nice and fresh and clean.”
Zide said the university had arranged counselling for him with the Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) on Thursday.
In March, Wits Vuvuzela reported another mugging at gunpoint outside the William Cullen library. The robbers also made their escape at the Jubilee Hall exit gate.
However Kemp said no weapon was used in that incident and a suspect was arrested. He said there had not been an increase in violent robberies on campus this year.
zandi@witsvuvuzela.com
