Local News
Two Kovsie students arrested, expelled after incident on Bfn campus─── LANI FOUCHÉ 15:17 Wed, 19 Feb 2014
Lani Fouché
Bloemfontein - Two students from the University of the Free State were arrested today for allegedly running down a fellow student with their car on the Bloemfontein campus.
Police spokesperson Chaka Marope says according to the complainant, the two 22-year-old men hit him with their car on Monday evening, and drove off. They however stopped more than a hundred meters away and approached him. An argument between the three broke out. The two then allegedly punched the victim in the face.
They’ll appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on charges of assault, reckless and negligent driving and failure to stop after an accident.
Kovsie rector, Jonathan Jansen, announced today that the two students have been expelled from the university.
He mentioned the importance of parents ensuring that their children are brought up with good manners at home, because that’s not something they can be taught at university.
The Student Representative Council at Kovsies issued the following release after the incident:
"Dear Kovsie
The SRC has been notified of an assault that was committed against one of our students two nights ago at or within the vicinity of Rectors Road and Graduandi Avenue (Close to the Centenary Complex/Eeufees-kompleks) after a hit and run incident involving a bakkie that was being recklessly driven around campus. The SRCs calls for improved security on campus cannot continue falling on deaf ears as such incidences will persist.
We find it unacceptable that campus security hasn’t improved on or moved agonizingly slowly in the process of ensuring that there is more visible patrolling on campus especially at night to ensure student’s safety, moreover the fact that there is still insufficient lighting on campus thus leaving a lot of dark areas around the campus where perpetrators who commit such heinous acts cannot be caught on camera. Our campus can no longer remain a place where our students are not free from danger, students deserve better!
The SRC also calls on the institution to speed up on its investigation into the incident and make the findings of the investigation known no later than the end of this week and act on the perpetrators with immediate effect. We are aware that this is not the only incident of its kind to take place this year and we demand that there be stringent action taken and that the matter not be swept under the carpet for the fear bad publicity as it is such incidences that undermine the prospects of the human project.
There is currently a criminal investigation as well as an institutional investigation into the incident and the SRC would like to invite all students who have information about or witnessed the assault to come forward and contact the SRC President: Phiwe Mathe at MathePN@ufs.ac.za.
The student who was assaulted and all students will appreciate your honest effort in ensuring there is justice.
Issued by: UFS Student Representative Council, Bloemfontein Campus
SRC@ufs.ac.za"
The SRC has been notified of an assault that was committed against one of our students two nights ago at or within the vicinity of Rectors Road and Graduandi Avenue (Close to the Centenary Complex/Eeufees-kompleks) after a hit and run incident involving a bakkie that was being recklessly driven around campus. The SRCs calls for improved security on campus cannot continue falling on deaf ears as such incidences will persist.
We find it unacceptable that campus security hasn’t improved on or moved agonizingly slowly in the process of ensuring that there is more visible patrolling on campus especially at night to ensure student’s safety, moreover the fact that there is still insufficient lighting on campus thus leaving a lot of dark areas around the campus where perpetrators who commit such heinous acts cannot be caught on camera. Our campus can no longer remain a place where our students are not free from danger, students deserve better!
The SRC also calls on the institution to speed up on its investigation into the incident and make the findings of the investigation known no later than the end of this week and act on the perpetrators with immediate effect. We are aware that this is not the only incident of its kind to take place this year and we demand that there be stringent action taken and that the matter not be swept under the carpet for the fear bad publicity as it is such incidences that undermine the prospects of the human project.
There is currently a criminal investigation as well as an institutional investigation into the incident and the SRC would like to invite all students who have information about or witnessed the assault to come forward and contact the SRC President: Phiwe Mathe at MathePN@ufs.ac.za.
The student who was assaulted and all students will appreciate your honest effort in ensuring there is justice.
Issued by: UFS Student Representative Council, Bloemfontein Campus
SRC@ufs.ac.za"
