Shock at UCT student’s killing on Clifton beach
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has provided counselling to students following the brutal killing of 19-year-old Cebo Mbatha.
Mbatha, a first-year humanities student from KwaZulu-Natal, was stabbed to death on a beach in Clifton on Saturday.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola says two suspects attempted to rob a group of four students of their cell phones when Mbatha was stabbed to death.
One other student was injured and is recovering in hospital.
"Of the surviving students, one suffered a stabbing assault and was treated in hospital. Though the other two students were not physically harmed, all three surviving students experienced severe shock and trauma from this terrible ordeal," Moholola says.
The university is providing counselling to the three students, as well as Mbatha’s friends at the institution.
Moholola says the university will continue to engage law enforcement agencies in attempt to curb violent crimes against students.
"We need to reclaim our public spaces as safe spaces where our students and all South Africans can go about their daily activities and move freely without being subjected to violent crime."