University of Fort Hare student raped while walking to campus

A female student from the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape has become one of the latest victims of rape at or near a tertiary institution.

Her ordeal was alleged to have happened close to the Alice campus on Sunday‚ said university spokesperson Khotso Moabi.

He said two students – a male and female - were walking back to campus when they were attacked.

“The gentleman was tied down and restrained while the female was assaulted‚” said Moabi.

She was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Student Representative Council (SRC) president Xolani Jaji told TimesLIVE that the female student had been brutally raped as her boyfriend watched. The pair had managed to untie themselves and had then ran off to seek safety.

“They went to the hospital and the police have since been involved‚” Jaji said. The couple are assisting police in their investigation.

“The information that we have so far is that the suspect could have been someone who had escaped from prison but we are waiting for them to update us‚” said Jaji.

The SRC has since called for a mass meeting to address safety in and around campus.

“We need a proper plan for lights in and around campus because we have quite a few dark spaces here‚” Jaji said.