Rapists target college students
Thugs also want NSFAS money
Students at Nkangala TVET College’s Waterval Boven campus in Mpumalanga are living in fear as they are targeted by rapists at off-campus residences.
Police have arrested a man and linked him to at least six rape cases in the area.
Spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi said the man’s alleged accomplice died after a truck driver he was trying to rob ran him over two weeks ago.
“We have arrested one suspect for the spate of rapes of students from the area. The man is charged with six counts of rape, while his accomplice died when a truck ran him over.”
One of the victims, who cannot be named, told Sowetan that in February last year, two men entered her place and raped her while her friends were out at night.
“I’m still scared. It’s dangerous. I was left alone in the house while my friends went out. Two men broke into the house, stole our gadgets and raped me before locking me in one of the rooms. I wish we were staying on campus.
“The only thing the college did was to get me counselling, but nothing more for my safety.”
Another victim said she was raped in January and the attackers demanded money from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
“They broke the door, turned off the light and pointed a gun at me. They demanded money. I said I don’t have money. They said NSFAS has paid us and then I informed them that I do not get NSFAS money. They searched the room before instructing me to cover my face with the blanket. They then began raping me.”
Another survivor was on her way home from the college with a male student when she was raped late last year.
“He demanded that we give him money and we said we don’t have money. He said we must run away and he was giving us a few seconds. When we tried to run away, he grabbed me and whispered in my ear that he wants to rape me.
“He took me to the bushes and raped me.”
Student Representative Council (SRC) secretary Vukosi Chabalala blamed the college for not protecting the students.
“Here we have over 20 female students who have been sexually abused, it’s like they are being targeted by the men from the community. The main problem is that the college management does not want to provide on-campus accommodation, but took those houses inside the campus and gave them to some lecturers.
“We have tried to engage with the college about taking the 30 houses and let female students share them. We know each house can accommodate about 10 students.”
Chabalala said some students who are not on NSFAS are staying in shacks where they are most vulnerable.
College principal Cain Maimela said they know of four rape cases.
“The college doesn’t have accommodation at all. We have houses that can accommodate 30 students and with 1,700 students in the whole campus, that is impossible. We try to work with the community and community policing forum, but the SRC chases them away when we meet them in school.
“Our aim is to accommodate all the students and protect them, but because we don’t have a residential area, we know they get money from NSFAS and rent their own places outside. We hear some are staying in shacks and those [perhaps] either do not qualify for NSFAS or academically they are not doing well.”