UJ launches stampede probe

An independent probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman during late registration at the University of Johannesburg has been set up, the university's council said on Wednesday.

"By investigating the root causes of the incident, and reporting on them, steps can be taken to prevent any similar incident from happening again," said chairman Professor Roy Marcus in a statement.

On January 10, Gloria Sekwena, 47, was killed in a stampede at the university's Bunting Road campus when she went with her 19-year-old son to register for the academic year.

Marcus said the probe was intended as a "fact-finding" rather than a "fault-finding" exercise.

Retired Constitutional Court judge Yvonne Mokgoro, chairwoman of the enquiry panel, encouraged members of the public who had relevant evidence to make submissions to the panel before March 17.

Family members of those who were injured in the stampede were also invited to present evidence.