After Octavia Shelembe survived an attempted rape at off-campus accommodation, she knew that her luck might soon run out and decided to quit her studies at the University of Zululand, on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.
“There is a ruthless and feared gang, which has operated for years in and around the campus. They target students living in off-campus accommodation because they know that there are no security guards. The gang often attacks at night and mugs students. I was one of their many victims,” she recalled.
Shelembe said though she had endured countless incidents of muggings, the final straw that broke the camel’s back was a rape attempt.
“It was about 6pm, after attending lectures earlier that day. Two guys sneaked up on me while I was in the shower. They held me at knife point and threatened to kill me if I screamed. I was rescued by other students who saw the men entering the property and called for help and the thugs fled,” she explained.
Shelembe said she notified her parents about the episode who ordered her to come back home fearing for her safety.
This week, the university management announced that it was suspending academic activities after violent student protests sparked by the death of a student at an off-campus residence. The student was apparently shot dead by thugs when he tried to stop them from robbing other students.
The students’ woes were corroborated by the EFF Student Command, which leads the student representative council at the university.
“It’s a dire situation for students living in private accommodation. Students are robbed of their belongings such as laptops and cellphones by thugs and female students have told horrific stories of being sexually assaulted. Because of inadequate student residences, hundreds of students live in rental cottages outside the campus, and they must constantly look over their shoulders,” said spokesperson Maxwell Myeni.
Sunday World has established that two dominant gangs, Amadabuka and Inambanamba, which operate in the townships in the area, were behind the reign of terror against students.
The University management feels the location of the university has worsened the problem.
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