By Charmaine Ndlela
West Coast TVET College has launched a Campus Community Safety Forum aimed at preventing crime, tackling gender-based violence and strengthening cooperation between students, police, college management and surrounding communities.
The two-day launch at the college’s Vredenburg campus brought together the South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Higher Education and Training, college management, student leaders and community stakeholders.
The second day of the launch, held on Friday, included the formalisation of a multi-stakeholder pledge to improve campus safety through collaboration, prevention and shared accountability.
The pledge commits all stakeholders to maintaining a safe and secure environment for students and staff, acting with integrity and vigilance, complying with campus safety procedures, supporting crime prevention initiatives and fostering an inclusive environment where students can thrive academically and personally.
It also places a strong emphasis on tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), in line with South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBVF and the government’s call for a coordinated, society-wide response to the crisis.
Delivering the keynote address, Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape Major General Luyanda Damoyi said the forum represented a collective commitment to protecting young people and ensuring that campuses remained spaces where students could pursue their education without fear.
“What makes today significant is that it brings together people from different sectors who all share a common goal – creating an environment where students can focus on their studies, pursue their ambitions and realise their potential without having to worry about their safety,” he said.
Damoyi said college campuses should be places where lifelong friendships were built, careers began and dreams took shape, adding that students deserved to feel protected, respected and supported throughout their academic journeys.
He acknowledged that institutions of higher learning continued to face many of the same challenges affecting communities across the country, including theft, violence, substance abuse and other criminal activities.
“As the South African Police Service, we have a constitutional responsibility to create a safe and secure environment for all who live in our country. We know, however, that safety cannot be achieved through policing alone. The most effective crime prevention happens when communities, institutions and law enforcement work together,” Damoyi said.
He described the forum as a proactive intervention focused on preventing crime before it occurred by identifying risks early, strengthening partnerships and developing practical solutions.
Addressing students directly, Damoyi encouraged them to play an active role in building a safer campus culture by reporting criminal activity, supporting one another and making responsible decisions.
“No safety structure can succeed without the involvement of those it is intended to serve. We need you to become active participants in creating a safer campus environment,” he said.
The launch also featured a SAPS career exhibition showcasing opportunities in forensic science, investigations, technology, communications, administration and community engagement.
Damoyi said the forum’s success would not be measured by its launch, but by the impact it delivered in the months and years ahead.
“It will be reflected in stronger partnerships, safer campuses, improved communication and meaningful interventions that benefit students and staff alike,” he said.
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