Pretoria: The South African Police Service (SAPS), in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), has launched a Campus Community Safety Forum at the Northern Cape Urban TVET College, strengthening efforts to improve safety and security at institutions of higher learning.
According to South African Government News Agency, the launch, led by Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison Limakatso Koloi, forms part of a national SAPS-DHET initiative to create safer learning environments for students, lecturers, and support staff at universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges across South Africa.
Koloi was joined by the Northern Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Johnny Besnaar; DHET Chief Director Sabelo Buthelezi; Northern Cape Urban TVET College Deputy Principal Elgin Mokokong; senior SAPS management, stakeholder representatives, and students.
To date, SAPS has launched 12 Campus Community Safety Forums nationwide, underscoring its commitment to strengthening safety and security at institutions of higher learning. The forums provide a platform for SAPS, campus management, security personnel, students, and community stakeholders to work together to identify safety concerns, address crime threats, and implement proactive crime prevention measures on and around campuses.
"The initiative seeks to enhance coordination among all role players to tackle challenges such as gender-based violence and femicide, robberies, theft, drug-related crimes, bullying, intimidation, and other threats that may negatively affect the learning environment," SAPS said in a statement.
Addressing the launch, Koloi stressed that partnerships are critical to creating safer campuses. "A safe and secure campus environment is essential for academic success and the wellbeing of students. We encourage students to actively participate in safety structures such as the Campus Community Safety Forum and to work closely with law enforcement and campus management in preventing crime. Safety is a shared responsibility, and together we can build campuses where students can learn without fear," Koloi said.
Besnaar welcomed the establishment of the forum, saying stronger safety and security measures would help create an environment where students can focus on achieving their academic goals. The two-day engagement concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to supporting the forum and its initiatives to strengthen safety, security, and crime prevention on and around the campus.
"SAPS remains committed to ensuring that students at institutions of higher learning across South Africa are able to pursue their education in environments that are safe, secure, and conducive to learning," the police said.