Bloemfontein - The search continued on Wednesday afternoon for a University of Free State (UFS) student who went missing last week, Free State police said.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) there was still a search, that is continuing. We haven't retired with the search and we will continue until we find something,” Sergeant Mmako Mophiring said.
“We are using a helicopter and K9 dogs as part of the search, and are checking bodies of water such as rivers and dams.”
He said municipal officials, university staff, the UFS student representative council (SRC), and Free State emergency service were all contributing to the search.
On Tuesday, the UFS said in a statement that Sinethemba Shezi, a third-year student, was accosted around 8.30pm on Friday evening while walking to the Qwaqwa campus with a friend.
“The students wanted to study at the campus facilities, as they stay off-campus,” UFS said.
“The matter was immediately reported to the university's campus protection services, who alerted the South African Police Service (SAPS).”
A search party, made up of police, UFS protection services and the UFS SRC, searched the area for Shezi through the night.
“Mr Shezi is still missing, despite various SAPS units - dogs, helicopter, and divers - searching the area over the weekend until (Tuesday) afternoon,” the university said.
“The campus community and the SAPS are doing everything possible to find Mr Shezi. His family is receiving support from the university.”
University management appealed to anybody with information to contact either campus principal Professor Prakash Naidoo, the campus vice-principal for support services, or the head of protection services.
Sapa