Africa-Press – South-Africa. A third-year University of the Western Cape (UWC) Accounting student died after he was shot during a robbery in Belhar on Saturday.
The 22-year-old was walking, along with five other students, to withdraw money.
They were followed by a Golf Mark 1, at approximately 22:37 in Kern’s Crescent.
According to a spokesperson for the Belhar Community Policing Forum (CPF), Ismail Arnold, the car stopped next to the students – and they were robbed at gunpoint.
“A scuffle broke out, one student was hit in the neck, and declared dead on the scene,” said Arnold.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said police registered a murder case for further investigation.
“The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined.”
Dr Matete Madiba, UWC deputy vice chancellor for student development and support, identified the student as Kamva Dasi.
“We are devastated that his young life has been cut short,” said Madiba in announcing Dasi’s murder.
She said Dasi’s family had been contacted, and counselling has also been offered to students and staff.
The CPF said it has been pleading for officers to be deployed in the area.
Arnold said student robberies had escalated in the last 16 months due to the building of new student accommodation in the area.
The president of UWC’s Student Representative Council (SRC), Mandla-Onke Notyawa, said:
According to Notyawa, the government was failing to deploy police, even when they had been urged to do so during a recent march.
“The university is also to be blamed, as it fails to provide security presence, even when it has its own residences in the area and has a lot of students who stay here.
“We have raised the issue of safety and security in Belhar for a very long time, but little is being done to address it.
“Students residing in Belhar have to walk to campus without any shuttles, which might assist in reducing the number of robberies,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
