The ditch in which NWU lecturer Van de Venter fell, leading to his death. Photo: Supplied.
A lecturer at the North-West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus died early on Saturday morning after falling into a ditch on campus, Potchestroom Herald has reported.
The body of Rudi van de Venter, 48, was found in the ditch just after 6am by a member of the Protection Services. He was already dead.
The trench was dug recently for the purpose of water pipeline repairs. Van de Venter was believed to be on his way to his office on the education campus in the early hours of Saturday morning when he fell into the ditch near Building B10.
Captain Aafje Bothma, a provincial police spokesman, said Van de Venter’s body was found in an unnatural position, with his head down, in the ditch.
“He is thought to have broken his neck,” she said.
The police were investigating.
Louis Jacobs, a spokesperson for NWU, said staff and students who knew Van de Venter received counselling today. The university’s counsellors also assisted his family.
“It is terrible for the university to lose one of our lecturers, especially under these kind of circumstances on our campus,” Jacobs said.
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