Cele gets tough on varsity thugs

Police Minister Bheki Cele is leading the charge against crime by heading to the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) South Campus in Soshanguve today for a crime imbizo.

This follows an outcry by female students at TUT.

The students raised complaints with the minister about crime incidents that have turned the campus into a “mini war zone with multiple cases of women abuse on the rise”.

Cele will not only listen to students, but will also visit some of the crime hot spots pointed out by them.

Mnanthete Moloto, a third-year legal assistance student, said they were pleasantly surprised by the minister’s quick response as she met him at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

“I spoke to him about our challenges and told him that female students are living in fear on campus,” said Moloto.

“Some men stand near the female residence, where they can have a clear view of us, and masturbate. That is how bad it is. We tried on several occasions to catch them, but they always get away.”

Cele’s spokesperson, Nonkululeko Phokane, said the hosting of the imbizo was in line with the minister’s pre-budget vote activities, which are aimed at intensifying the fight against woman and child abuse under the theme “taking a firm stand for the safety of women and children”.

“The scourge of women abuse is at its peak in the country, hence the minister’s dedicated focus is ensuring that such crimes are brought to a halt,” Phokane said.

Moloto told The Citizen they would also make certain recommendations which they hoped the minister would help implement in order to keep them safe.

“We will be asking the minister to deploy police off campus to patrol the areas, and to build a wall around the campus to keep the criminals out,” she said.

The scourge of women abuse is at its peak in the country. We must bring it to a halt.