Break-ins on campus worrysome
October 11, 2011 
7 Comments
The USBD is currently experiencing many reports of break-ins inside hostels on the Stellenbosch campus.
There are cases where objects, such as paper, were found placed over magnets at access doors thus creating free entry for any person. Once access was gained, door locks were broken. Doors were closed but not locked and/or doors were simply left open. Windows were left open.
Please remember the following tips:
- Refrain from giving access to unknown people.
- Do not lend your access card to someone.
- Whenever you leave your hostel room, lock the door, even if it is JUST FOR FIVE minutes. Close all the windows. Even windows with burglar bars, especially on the ground floor.
- Make use of good quality padlocks instead of combination locks.
- Refrain from “fake locking” your hostel rooms.
- Avoid leaving valuable items near open windows. Ensure that windows are also closed during night time as well.
- Do not leave hostel room keys hidden in an expected area such as under a doormat.
- When storing valuable items such as a purse or a wallet, lock it in a cabinet.
Remember, suspects pose as students which make them less conspicuous!
- Know the telephone numbers of the USBD, 021-808 2330/2333 (Stellenbosch campus) and 021 938-9507 (Tygerberg campus), as well as the SAPS emergency 10111 number. Obtain a good description of any suspicious people and report it to the USBD immediately.
Die Universiteit sal altyd ‘n probleem hê met toegangsbeheer, d.i. om ongemagtigde persone toegang tot kampus te belet. Aan die een kant is dit USBD se verantwoordelikheid om almal op kampus, indirek ook hulle eie, se veiligheid te verseker om sodoende by te dra tot die kampus gevoel. Let wel, hulle dra by daartoe maar elkeen in vandag se tye moet ook die verantwoordelikheid neem om oplettend te wees oor verdagte persone of gebeure om dit dan aan te meld, sodat USBD die diens kan lewer waarvoor hulle daar is.
Ek voel net egter vir mense om hulle goed in ‘n klein hopie in hulle kantore of koshuiskamers te pak sodat skelms nie deur vensters daarby kan uitkom nie (sien voorstelle oor om diefstalle moontlik te verminder), dra nie by tot die veilige (en vrye) onderrig en lewensomgewing wat SU op kampus wil vestig en onderhou nie. Ek het al twee keer leeglêers op die BIB se trappe by USBD aangemeld – hierdie mense moet nie eens sover in die hartjie van kampus kan kom nie. Dalk moet daar net streng teen hulle opgetree word sodat die regte boodskap gestuur word, eerder as wat ons aanpassings moet maak om die skelms se aktiwiteite te duld. Op die oomblik beskou die leeglêers en skelms dit relatief as ‘n “free for all” en beweeg net soos hulle wil oor kampus.
Hi… just another comment. The writer says that he was robbed on the Green Route and in his own words “mobbed by gangs of small children trying to steal things out of my bag… wait for it… in broad daylight?” it is a common fact that the Green Route only operates during the evenings and that USBD has got a service that when u feel unsafe they will escort you.
@Anon-I don’t know if you’d noticed, but UCT is a closed university while Maties is an open university(part of the town).People needs to enter areas on campus to get to town..Sorry for your experiences on campus
As die US sy Visie en Missie om ‘n instansie van uitnemendheid te wil wees, ernstig opneem, behoort die klem nie te wees op die “besparings” wat te weeg gebring word op belangrike dienste soos sekuriteit en infrastruktuur nie. Hoekom is dit so dikwels dat mense iets net eers as belangrik begin beskou as hulle self beroof, aangeval of verkrag is? Daar is uitstekende sekuriteitsmaatskappye wat die kampus goed sal kan beveilig en aan studente en personeel die nodige diens sal kan verskaf, maar dan moet die begroting nie die hoof oorweging wees wanneer ‘n maatskappy ingekontrakteur word nie. Jy kry waarvoor jy vra en jy kan nie verwag om die beste te kry as jy nie vir die beste wil betaal nie. En selfs as die maatskappy, wat as die beste gesien word aangestel sal word, is dit steeds die Universiteit se verantwoordelikheid om seker te maak dat die ooreenkomste van daardie kontrak nagekom word. Moet ons nou regtig wag totdat die Rektor of een van die Bestuurspan die slagoffer van misdaad word voordat daar behoorlik aandag gegee sal word aan die saak? Word wakker, ons is nie ape nie, ons weet baie goed hoe dinge by die US werk, en dit werk nie… Hoeveel keer moet ons nog daaroor praat?
@Gerhard – die punt is, as ‘n inbreker wil inkom sal hy dit doen, ongeag van ‘n heining of nie. Ultiem is elke mens vir sy eie veiligheid verantwoordelik, en ook vir sy eie nalatigheid. Mens kan hoogstens probeer om persone meer attent te maak, maar aan die einde van die dag is dit die leser se eie keuse.
What surprises me the most is the statement that the USBD are “worried”.
Really? I enter the BA building daily, which is supposed to be a STRICTLY access controlled building, to find that the staff member from USBD on duty there cares little, if anything, for his duties. There is one man who does make an effort to check the students for their student cards, but this other gentleman that is there more often doesn’t even look at me when I walk past, as he continues to play games on his cellphone while sitting comfortably on his chair. Additionally, I have witnessed this same man allow members of society that are NOT students or visitors to the university into the building so that they could make use of the bathroom. How is this conducive to a safe environment? And now with gang initiation season coming up, how many additional visitors “to the bathroom” are we going to see?
Additionally, how often is it that I travel along the “green route”, only to be mobbed by gangs of small children trying to steal things out of my bag… wait for it… in broad daylight? Is this a university problem or a USBD problem that these areas are not policed effectively?
In the years that I studied at UCT, there was not a single appearance of a vagrant on campus at any time, nor were there car break-ins, mugging, or harrassment. True, the campus is effectively fenced in some areas, but the security levels are what made the place safe. Random student card checks in classrooms, access control, patrolling guards, were all implemented to ensure the perceived and actual safety of the students within the premises.
Sorry Stellenbosch, but as much as I do enjoy the university, you have fallen way short of the mark in this instance.
Ek verstaan dit nie. Daar is so gereeld op mymaties.com van hierdie bulletins om ons te waarsku oor misdaad op kampus.
Alhoewel ek dit waardeer, moet ek bevraagteken of daar dalk nie gekyk moet word om kampus (om dalk dele daarvan) te omhein nie.
Misdaad by die US (waaronder studente die meestal lei) word, of wel, is al soos bruin en stink kol, wat ek glo, as daar nie vinnig iets aan gedoen word nie, voornemende studente sal besluit om n ander universiteit.