Killer stalks campus

Four women - three of them students - have been killed at or near the University of Venda, in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, since the start of the year and the police are investigating the possibility that they were the victims of a serial killer.

In February, a student was found raped and stabbed near the life sciences lecture hall.

Two students were found dead in their Riverside Residence rooms, one in March, the other in May.

Both were strangled and the police suspect that at least one of them was raped.

On Friday the body of a cleaner was found near the university's administration block. She had been raped and then bludgeoned to death.

Police said a team has been established to determine whether the murders are linked .

Female staff and students are living in fear.

Student leaders yesterday met university managers to demand that they end their contract with the company hired to provide security.

The police met officials from the Limpopo department of safety, security and liaison .

Department spokesman Jimmy Machaka said the members of the team investigating the murders were all experienced officers.

"We have been assured that the team will find out what could have been the motive, and whether these killings are because of one person or many people, and whether these killings are being carried out by a serial killer," said Machaka.

The president of the university's students' representative council, Fukie Uhuru Mofokeng, said the council had given the university until last night to fire its head of safety, and the security company, Jackcliffy.

He said: "Female students are being killed and we cannot allow the head of safety, and the security company, to spend an extra day at the university because they have failed to protect students and staff.

"Security companies have a fiduciary obligation in their respective areas of responsibility and are usually the first and last line of defence.

"It is a great disappointment to note the great level of incompetence the security department has displayed.

"The university premises are always full of non-students, university equipment goes missing daily and a number of innocent lives have been lost."

Jackcliffy manager Ntshen-gezeni Malada said he was not aware of the latest attack but denied that the firm was not meeting its contractual obligations .

"These accusations are new to me. I am not aware of the latest attack because I was out of the country," he said.

University spokesman Takalani Dzaga said students were "understandably upset" about the assaults on campus.

He said he was aware of only two killings, and could not confirm the March and May cases.

The police have confirmed that they are investigating four incidents.

Said Dzaga: "We cannot rule out the [possibility] of a serial killer, but the police are currently conducting investigations."