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17 May 2022 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
University of Limpopo visits UFS Protection Services
Staff from the University of the Free State Department of Protection Services pictured with the delegation from the University of Limpopo during their benchmarking visit.

The University of the Free State Department of Protection Services hosted a delegation from the University of Limpopo on Friday, 13 May 2022 as part of benchmarking best protection service practices. 

During the visit, discussions included the management of student protests, gender-based violence, fire emergency responses, and challenges experienced with the Campus Protection Society of Southern Africa.

The visit by the University of Limpopo follows similar benchmark visits by the Central University of Technology, Sol Plaatje University, and the University of Johannesburg.

Noko Masalesa, Senior Director: Protection Services, said: “The visit by the University of Limpopo was used to take them through our vision 2024, to show them some of the advanced CCTV cameras that the UFS has installed, the policies, and organisational structure. Part of that strategy is to enhance the university’s security technology in line with the best practices.”

Masalesa said: “The UFS has a good model to manage all the different functional areas of the Department of Protection Services, and most universities are impressed with the new CCTV cameras that we rolled out and the other advances made in the development of protection services over the past five years.”

To remain among the leaders in protection services within the higher education, the department also visited Stellenbosch University, the University of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University – both in Kenya.

Mampuru Mampa, Director: Safety and Security at the University of Limpopo, said: “Like other institutions, the University of Limpopo is dealing with crimes affecting students on and off campus, as well as student protests. Fostering collaboration and benchmarking will assist our protection service departments to develop and implement a standardised approach to improve safety on our campuses.”

On lessons learnt during the benchmarking tour, Mampa said: “We have learnt about security system integration, investigation systems approach, off-campus security, and student protest management.”

Mampa believes “it is important for protection service departments across the higher education sector to develop standardised security measures to improve safety, and benchmarking assists in closing gaps in protection services”.

News Archive

UFS staff makes a difference
2010-05-04

 
From the left are: Ms Annemarie Ludick, Senior Officer at the UFS; Mr Gerald and Mrs Luchelle Blaauw of the Ebenhauser Intermediary School in Wepener; and Mr Philemon Bitso, Assistant Officer: Corporate Relations at the UFS.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
A group of staff members at the University of the Free State (UFS) made a donation to Mr Gerald Blaauw and his wife, Luchelle, both teachers at the Ebenhauser Intermediary School in Wepener, in reaction to an article that appeared in Volksblad’s Kontrei of 28 April 2010.

The money will be used to buy a stove and pots to prepare food for the 646 learners in this school.

When Mrs Blaauw, who has been at the school for ten years now, got involved in the school’s feeding scheme, she noticed a great need for food amongst the learners. It motivated her to start a vegetable garden. With spinach, cabbage, beetroot, beans, peas and carrots in the garden but no stove or pots to cook the vegetables, Mrs Blaauw was very happy when she learned about the donation from the UFS.

Mrs Blaauw has plans to expand the garden. “We would like to daily give the children a plate of food at 10:00 and a cup of soup again in the afternoon,” she said.

Mr Mickey Gordon, Head: Corporate Relations, Institutional Advancement and Sport at the UFS, said: “It is remarkable that a teacher will go to so much effort for the children. This school is part of our Free State community and we like to help.”

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