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14 August 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Unsplash
Reporting cases makes it easier to link certain suspects to crimes that were committed.
The diligent reporting of crime paid off when a number of suspects were arrested. 

Cobus van Jaarsveld, Assistant Director: Threat Detection, Investigations and Liaison in the UFS Department of Protection Services, says on 12 August 2020, Nissi Armed Response, in co-operation with SecuriForce, ADT, and the SAPS, made two arrests of suspects believed to be involved in some of the crimes committed in the Universitas area.  Following these arrests, another suspect who could possibly be linked to further crimes in the Universitas area, was also arrested during the morning of 13 August 2020.

Reporting cases

Reporting cases makes it easier to link certain suspects to crimes that were committed.

It is important that students and staff report all incidents of crime, both off and on campus. On-campus incidents must immediately be reported to Protection Services. Van Jaarsveld says all off-campus incidents can be reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS). 

“We at Protection Services would like to extend our appreciation to students who are willing to report cases to the SAPS,” says Van Jaarsveld. 

He also encourages students to continue to supply information on suspicious activities to Protection Services and the contracted armed response companies, as well as the SAPS, to ensure a safe environment for all.

Important contact details

Keep the following numbers close in case you need to report an incident or when you need help:

Bloemfontein Campus (in the Brandwag, Universitas, and Park West suburbs):
UFS Protection Services Operational Centre – +27 51 401 2634 / +27 51 401 2911 / +27 0 80 020 4682
Nissi Armed Response Control Room – +27 51 444 0550 / +27 73 790 1837
Park Road SAPS – +27 51 507 6036 / +27 51 507 6027

Qwaqwa Campus (in the area surrounding the campus):
UFS Protection Services Operational Centre – +277 58 718 5460 / +27 58 718 5175
Falcon Security Solutions Control Room – +27 58 713 0240 / +27 66 439 6491
Phuthaditjhaba SAPS – +27 58 718 0894 / 5 / 6

South Campus (in the area surrounding the campus):
UFS Protection Services Operational Centre – +27 51 505 1217 / +27 51 505 1478
Nissi Armed Response Control Room – +27 51 444 0550 / +27 73 790 1837
Kagisanong SAPS – +27 51 409 5608 / 7

News Archive

Kovsies proud of a gold PRISM Award for safety campaign
2015-05-05

Stefan Lotter, Leonie Bolleurs and Lacea Loader. All three are from the Departement of Communication and Brand Management at the UFS.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

The University of the Free State, takes pride in the gold PRISM Award (from the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa) for the B Safe Take Action safety campaign that has been rolled out on the campus since 2013 by the Department of Communication and Brand Management.

The campaign earned the Von H Brand Provocateur gold award in the internal communication category.

“The UFS is the only tertiary institution to receive a gold award. The award is a great honour for the department, considering the cream of South African public relations took part in the competition, and the standard was naturally very high. It was also a feather in the cap for us that the uniqueness of the campaign received national recognition from our peers in this manner, said Ms Lacea Loader, Director: Communication and Brand Management at the UFS.

The university is responsible for about 32 000 students and 4 000 members of staff on its three campuses: the Bloemfontein and South Campuses in Bloemfontein and the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State. It is of cardinal importance for the university that its students, staff, and assets are safe.

Apart from safety measures that have been implemented by the UFS Protection Services, the B Safe Take Action campaign has also been rolled out on the three campuses of the UFS. The campaign supports the safety strategy of the university. It is aimed at developing a culture of safety awareness in students and staff alike. The purpose of the campaign is for staff and students to take ownership of their own safety. In addition, it creates awareness of the safety measures that are in place at the UFS.

The campaign has been rolled out on various communication platforms. These include placards, pamphlets, lamp-post advertisements, an advertisement board, emails, and messages on student communication portals such as Blackboard, the UFS web and intranet, social media, information boards in the campus parking areas and on the pedestrian walkways as well as messages on refuse bins around the campus. “The fact that a variety of communication platforms has been deployed, the striking design and character of the messages, and the number of target audiences that have been reached further contributed to the success of the campaign,” said Ms Loader,

The campaign also received a merit award from the International Association for Business Communication (IABC). The award will be presented on 15 June 2015 in San Francisco, USA.

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