Ex-security employee held after residence haul
the campus’s history.
In his wake, the thief left more than 40 students distraught over personal assignments and nearly finished dissertations that disappeared into the night. This happened in recent weeks. Last week, Fort Hare’s Equicent Eastern Cape Development building – housing the private service provider responsible for security and the construction of the R400million, 200-bed residence – went up in flames and many thought the arson was related to the ongoing #FeesMustFall protests engulfing campuses throughout the country.
But the revolt by Fort Hare’s Alice students was a protest over security on campus and anger over the mass theft.
Last week a “disgruntled” former employee, Madoda Sityi – who was fired by Equicent earlier this year in connection with theft – was arrested at his Alice Golf Course home. He was allegedly found with a bunch of locks and a master key to the students’ rooms. He appeared in court last week. He was released on bail last Friday. This was confirmed yesterday by university spokesman Kgotso Moabi, who said the Equicent former employee was taken into custody after investigators found him with the keys.
Alice police spokeswoman Captain Siya Nontshinga also confirmed the arrest in connection with the spate of Fort Hare burglaries.
However, she could not provide more details because she “could not get hold of the investigating officer who is in possession of a docket in relation to these cases”.
However, this was not the first theft at the campus.
Sityi’s arrest came after the university had been hit by a spate of burglaries where students reported theft of valuables such as laptops, cellphones, electrical appliances and clothing.
In most of the reported burglaries there were no signs of forced entry, resulting in students suspecting that it was an inside job.
In some of the affected residences, CCTV cameras are said to have been non-operational when such burglaries took place in recent weeks.
At Fort Hare’s Alice campus, students have boycotted classes since mid-September in protest over the lax security.
Equicent’s multimillion-rand building was razed to the ground, amid calls by students for the company to be removed.
Equicent maintenance manager Charles Nkomo could not be