This year it will be the 69th Intervarsity that will be held between NWU Potchefstroom Campus and Kovsies. For students, Intervarsity is a weekend of festivity, which creates the opportunity for social interaction between the two universities. Although victory is of the greatest importance, students also avail themselves of the opportunity to tie friendship bonds.
Unfortunately alcohol abuse is for many students synonymous with Intervarsity. The aim of the project is to attempt to once again this year get the students (accent on drivers of cars) to remain sober during their trip from Bloemfontein to Potchefstroom. In so doing accidents, injuries and deaths on the roads during the Intervarsity weekend are prevented
Following successful projects in 2009 and 2010, this project will now be launched annually by NWU during Intervarsity. The project briefly entails the following:
1. A halfway stop at Wesselsbron. Students (drivers) are tested by means of a blood alcohol concentration test. Should a student test 0.00, the first 200 students receive a gift voucher to the amount of R200-00 for fuel, which is submitted at Total Capmus Service Station Potchefstroom (following a breath analyser test)) at a filling station for fuel. Students (drivers) that do not receive gift vouchers will be given prizes such as first aid kits, T-shirt, caps etc.
2. A Buddy project is offered on campus from Friday 12 August at 18h00 to Saturday morning 13 August at 06h00. The aim is to ensure students under the influence have a safe trip to their accommodation.
3. Free State Provincial and Regional Traffic Department, Wesselsbron Municipality Traffic Department as well as North-West Provincial and Potchefstroom Municipality Traffic Departments will patrol the routes during the weekend, with the necessary law enforcement should students not act as responsible and obedient road users.
4. Recommended route is Bloemfontein, Bultfontein, Wesselsbron (Arive Alive – Halfway Stop) Bothaville, Orkney and Potchefstroom.
Institutions already involved in the project:
1. The Provincial Traffic Department – Free State.
2. The Free State Regional Traffic Department.
3. Wesselsbron Traffic Department.
4. Northwest Provincial Traffic Department and Potchefstroom Traffic Department.
5. SAPS – Wesselsbron.
6. Free State Care in Action – selling of refreshments.
7. SAB – sponsors water, energy drinks etc.
8. Precision Safety Appliances – Pietermaritzburg (Free Blood alcohol concentration test and gifts to students).
9. SADD – South Africans against Drunk Driving. Free T-shirts, caps, posters as well as an awareness project with SOS peer helpers from NWU on Campus regarding limit levels of alcohol concentration in drinks.
10. Arrive Alive – marketing on website – Adv. Jonck.
11. SA Drink Detection: Leigh-Ann Stevenson – An apparatus is marketed by means of which students can test their drinks for any drugs.
12. Vodacom – Sponsors a stall on Halfway stop to the value of R40 000-00 with, amongst others, video recordings and music. Free online purchases and tickets for the party Friday evening on the Joolplaas (Rag Farm). Live broadcasts of proceedings at Halfway Stop on websites such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter.
13. North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) and the University of the Free State.
The presentation of the project during Intervarsity affords NWU the opportunity to alert students, in a positive manner, to the necessity of not driving under the influence, and also so promote road safety.
This project is of utmost importance to the North-West University, since we believe that students are the future of our country. Hence we strive to encourage them to become responsible road users/ambassadors of our country.