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The science of safety

12 September 2022 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo UFS Photo Gallery

UFS Protection Services — The science of safety reinforces practical and collaborative efforts aimed at creating a secure campus environment.

While we might not have it down to a science just yet, safety is something that the University of the Free State (UFS) is constantly working towards improving. As it stands, various preventative measures exist across our three campuses. They say “Prevention is better than cure” – and that is exactly what the science of safety is all about.

What is the university doing to prevent crime?

There are a few measures put in place by the Department of Protection Services, as its core mandate involves working around the clock to address the state of safety and security for staff and students. Some of these measures include:

• CCTV cameras monitoring campuses on a 24/7 basis.

• Panic buttons mounted on red poles which are fitted with cameras linked to the Control Room.

• Daily visible vehicle and foot patrols conducted by security personnel.

• Security infrastructure such as turnstiles and surveillance cameras installed on all residence entrances.

• Security officers deployed around residences at night.

• Closely collaborating with Housing and Residence Affairs to find ways of creating, maintaining, and improving off-campus student safety.

• Investigating Officer on a 24/7 standby who is in direct contact with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Investigation Unit.

• Security and SAPS vehicles deployed at identified hotspots.

• Security patrols by contracted armed response security companies conducted in areas such as Brandwag, Willows, and Universitas in Bloemfontein, and surrounding areas at the Qwaqwa and South Campuses.

Safety is a shared responsibility

“In as much as Protection Services has duties and responsibilities in ensuring the safety of staff and students, the UFS community also needs to support and provide assistance to the department,” said Cobus van Jaarsveld, the department’s Section Head: Threat Detection, Investigations, and Liaison.

You can play a role in ensuring that the UFS becomes an increasingly safe environment by:

• Immediately reporting any suspicious activity, item, person, or vehicle to the Department of Protection Services.

• Acting responsibly to minimise your vulnerability to criminal activities.

• Familiarising yourself and complying with the UFS Security Policy, Protest Management Policy, and other security guidelines, standards, procedures, and protocols.

• Following instructions issued by an authorised person for safety and security reasons.

• Cooperating with investigation processes that are in the interest of justice.

• Treating university property with the utmost care and avoiding exposing it to criminal activities, as well as reporting such activities.

Creating a safe space for all

From identifying safety needs to tackling security issues head-on, the Department of Protection Services strives to reduce the risk of all kinds of crimes through the science of safety. The department continuously responds to the call to serve and protect in the following ways:

• Identifying and assessing risks and threats that have an impact on the safety and security of the UFS staff, students, and property.

• Enforcing access control.

• Investigating any reported incidents, providing investigation reports, and also issuing early-warning reports.

• Responding to emergencies reported on campuses.

• Advising UFS management on all aspects of security.

• Initiating programmes and projects to enhance security awareness among UFS staff, students, visitors, and contractors.

• Providing support to students living in off-campus residences through contracted armed response that responds to emergencies and conducts patrols.

• Arranging counselling for victims of crime where necessary.

• Coordinating security services for on-campus events to ensure a safe and secure environment.

Contact Protection Services:

Bloemfontein Campus: +27 51 401 2911 or +27 51 401 2634

South Campus: +27 51 505 1217 or +27 51 505 1478

Qwaqwa Campus: + 27 58 718 5460

News Archive

Neonatal Care Unit receives donation to expand capacity

2015-10-28

With the best care and technology available,
the survival rate of premature
babies is about 85%. The neonatal intensive
care unit at the Universitas hospital can now
expand its capacity thanks to a donation of
R1 million by the Discovery fund.
From the left is Prof André Venter.
Head: Department of Paediatrics and
Child Health at the UFS, and mrs Ruth Lewin,
Head: Corporate Sustainability at Discovery.

The smallest people need the greatest care. This care is being provided by the neonatal unit in the Children’s Wing of the Universitas Hospital. This project of the University of the Free State (UFS), under the leadership of Prof Andre Venter, has led to several miracles regarding child health since its inception.

Now, thanks to a donation of R1 million rand from the Discovery fund, this unit can expand its capacity and treat more premature babies.

About 14% of babies in South Africa are born before the 37th week of pregnancy. These babies are born with a very low birth weight, and are in need of critical care. The neonatal intensive-care unit at Universitas Hospital is currently equipped to take care of about 14 premature babies at a time, from birth to discharge. However, because of the high incidence of premature births in the hospital’s service area, the unit needs about 45 beds.

The aim of the Children’s Wing Project is to expand the neonatal intensive-care unit in order to meet the demands of the hospital’s service area, which reaches as far as the Southern Cape. The Discovery Fund recently donated R1 million to the project, which will be used to expand the capacity of the neonatal intensive-care unit.

“With the best care and technology available, the survival rate of premature babies is about 85%. Without this, half of all premature babies would die,” says Prof Venter, Head: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the UFS.

“This is the reason why private and public partnerships, such as the one with Discovery, are essential to make specialised services available to the most vulnerable people. Discovery has made a significant contribution to the project without which we would not have been able to expand the capacity of the unit

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