The University has urged students and staff members to be cautious after two incidents of crime occurred on De Korte Street and Enoch Sontonga Road.
Wits University is working with the Hillbrow Police Station to ensure the safety of the Wits community due to recent crime incidents in Braamfontein.
The University issued a statement on Thursday, February 9, advising students and staff members to be cautious when walking in the surrounding areas of the Braamfontein and Parktown campuses after two individuals including a staff member were victims of crime last week.
Director of Protection Services at Wits, Mokgawa Kobe, told Wits Vuvuzela that “There have been two serious incidents which happened last week on the outer perimeters of the campus. As we continually monitor crime on the outside and we had to increase our measures to mitigate it.”
Kobe said that “One incident was an attempted hijacking involving a male staff in De Korte Street and the other one was an attempted robbery of an individual on Enoch Sontonga Road.”
Sergeant Mduduzi Zondo of the Hillbrow Police Station, said during one of the incidents, the individual was “allegedly” stabbed.
Zondo said the SAPS has increased their presence in Braamfontein, identifying Enoch Sontoga Road and the Nelson Mandela Bridge as crime hotspots. Zondo said that the SAPS has increased their visibility, vehicle and foot patrol.
First-year Metallurgical Engineering student, Lehlogonolo Sebetha, who lives on De Korte Street said that she “was unaware of how unsafe Braamfontein is. When it is late I will have to ask Campus Control to accompany me to my building and we have to walk in groups when leaving campus at night.”
Third year BSc student, Nyiko Maswanganyi, who lives in Braamfontein said, “I think increasing security is necessary because a lot of women are targeted. We’re used to the situation in Braamfontein. I once saw someone get mugged right in front of the Noswal Residence in Braamfontein.”
Zondo has urged students to walk in groups, especially during the peak hour traffic times in the mornings and the afternoons.
The Braamfontein and Parktown management districts have been notified by the university and requested to deploy extra officers.
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