Sandile Ndlovu was attacked and stabbed in a lecture room and his cellphone and laptop stolen.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Blade Nzimande, has called for the speedy arrest of those responsible for the death of Durban University of Technology (DUT) student Sandile Ndlovu.
Ndlovu, a first-year industrial engineering student at DUT, was attacked on September 9 in a lecture room on the Steve Biko campus, where he was stabbed in the head, News24 previously reported.
Police confirmed the attack at the time and said a case of attempted murder had been opened.
The 18-year-old succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning. Family spokesperson, Tshepo Mokoena confirmed to News24 that Ndlovu died in hospital where he was still in intensive care and receiving life support due to extensive brain damage.
In a statement, Nzimande said he was deeply saddened by the incident, and expressed condolences to Ndlovu’s family.
“I urge our criminal justice system to ensure a speedy arrest and prosecution of the people responsible for Sandile’s death,” said Nzimande.
“In Sandile, the Ndlovu family and the entire nation has lost an engineer in the making who could have been instrumental in addressing challenges in our economy, particularly those that might have been brought by the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
Nzimande further welcomed the suspension of the head of security at the university, who he says was responsible for ensuring “there are proper security measures in place, including the installation and monitoring of video cameras that could have been significant in the arrest of the murderers who committed this distasteful act”.
Mokoena previously told News24 that the university was not co-operating with the authorities.
On Saturday, Mokoena said the family have also hired a legal team to push police for answers and a private investigator to pursue that facts that led to the attack on Ndlovu.
Following the incident, the university said it was in contact with the authorities and the family, trying to answer all queries.
“The family representatives met with the deputy vice-chancellor: People and operations, Dr Isaac Machi, and the dean of students, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane, who provided the family with the information that was available. Regarding the suspension of the head of security, that is an internal matter and we cannot comment at this stage,” DUT spokesperson Alan Khan said.
“The reality is that the entire university community is angered by this violent attack on Mr Sandile Ndlovu. We are praying for Sandile and his family.”
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