Nota Bene

Visible policing on campus

It is with regret that I must inform you that last Wednesday afternoon a staff member in the Department of Electrical Engineering was held up at gunpoint and robbed in his office on upper campus in the mechanical engineering complex. The three attackers knocked on his door around 15h00 and stole a laptop, cell phone and wallet.

Campus Protection Services and the SA Police Services are investigating and everything possible is being done to trace the criminals involved, while the staff member concerned has been receiving appropriate counselling support after his traumatic experience.

Additional security measures are being implemented on upper campus. These will include visible policing, which will involve ID checks. All staff and students must be able to produce their identity documents if asked to do so.

This incident highlights the need for increased awareness and vigilance at this time of the year as things begin to quieten down on campus.

CPS has the following security advice:

• If you are working alone in your office, make contact with colleagues to let them know that you are there.

• Lock your office door if you feel uncomfortable.

• Call the emergency number - ext 2222 - if you need to summon help.

Everything possible will be done to secure buildings at UCT but, given that staff and students also need to move around freely, this is a task that requires vigilance on all our parts. Please do not hesitate to contact CPS should you be aware of any unusual activities or if you have any information which might relate to this incident.

We take our security very seriously indeed and will do our utmost to bring the perpetrators to book and to work with you to create a safer campus.

Prof Martin West, Acting VC