Ex-Reitz students robbed

2008-08-18 09:11

Karen Ebersohn

Bleomfontein - Barely two weeks after moving out of Reitz residence at the University of the Free State, three students were held up on Saturday morning at their new digs in Universitas.

The residence was closed last month after a video featuring the mock initiation of five black staff members into hostel activities sparked a national and international outcry.

Third-year students PC Rossouw and Jan Botha and fifth-year student Bernard Myburgh, on Sunday recounted how robbers used duct tape and cable ties to tie up PC and Jan.

"Bernard and I were at home the whole evening. Jan was out. By midnight we were in our bedrooms," PC said.

PC woke up a few hours later and found some men standing in his bedroom. "One of them was holding a knife to my throat. Another one said they wouldn't hurt me, as long as I co-operated."

The robbers tied PC's hands and feet with cable ties and left him alone.

Back door open

Jan, who came home about 30 minutes later, said he had seen the back door standing open.

"When I walked in I saw four men standing in the living room.

"They took me to PC and tied me up next to him on the bed. They taped our eyes and mouths closed with duct tape."

The robbers were in the house for about half an hour, they said.

The robbers also knocked on Bernard's door, but it was locked and he did not open it.

PC said that when it became quiet they managed to free themselves and phoned the police.

The four robbers had cut open burglar bars to get into the house.

- Volksblad