Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Blade Nzimande, has decried the taxi-related gun violence that erupted in Braamfontein, resulting in the death of a second-year University of Joburg (UJ) student last week.
The student, David Nkosingiphile Nxumalo, was shot and killed last week, while another was injured by a stray bullet in a taxi violence-related attack.
Reports also indicate that two other people were killed in the shooting while sitting inside a vehicle outside a student accommodation building just opposite the Wits Arts Museum.
The SAPS confirmed that three people, including a university student, were declared dead.
On Monday, the minister visited family members of the two student victims where he said he was concerned about high levels of violence in the country which has spilled over to affecting the lives of innocent students.
“This is of concern to me because the violence in society is also affecting violence in the student community. We try our best to make universities a safer space... It really is a sad development to lose an 18-year-old Bachelor of Commerce Accounting second-year student.
“This was a future CA whose mother was a domestic worker. This was #NSFAS beneficiary, whose mother was so passionate about her son’s education and pushed him to do well. I can identify as a parent because when we send our children to university, we want to fetch them in their gowns,“ the minster said.
Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg, extended his deepest sympathy to the deceased family and wished the student who is currently at the hospital a speedy recovery, saying the university will continue to provide the necessary support to the victims and their families
“The University of Johannesburg will continue to provide the necessary support to the best of our ability to the families and also students that experienced this trauma, we will also continue to support them as much as we can and the student that is also in hospital. The entire UJ community is shocked by this because it is tragic to lose a student like this and it's one of my biggest nightmares and everyone at the university,“ Mpedi said.
Prof Mpedi called on higher education institutions and the community to work together to address the issue of student safety and security on and off campus, which he believes requires urgent attention.
“We cannot have a situation where students end up being hurt like this on our roads, there are more students who get mugged and all of that.”
Dimpho Mosia, a second-year humanities student from Hebron in Pretoria, is currently receiving medical attention, with Gladys Bogoshi, CEO of Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, revealing that the minister was able to interact with the injured student.
“All we can say is that he is doing very well, but the main issue is that he was shot around his face and he is being attended to by the eye doctors.
“He was upbeat and he is receiving all the necessary care that he needs from other health care practitioners who are working in the ward,“ she said.
The Star