Rhodes University to hold anti-depression intervention following death of student

Rhodes University students are planning to hold an "interfaith prayer and meditation" evening on May 7 following the death of a post-graduate student.

The student representative council said the purpose of the event was to "bring religious groups together in prayer and meditation".

"We felt the event was necessary and urgent after realising that death, depression, anxiety and other negative things have taken over our campus."

This follows the death of Marshall Nyaungwa on April 27.

Nyaungwa worked as a tutor in the department of political science and international studies, and as a research assistant in the community engagement division. He completed his honours degree in political and international studies in 2018.

Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said the 23-year-old fell to his death at a block of flats.

Govender said an inquest docket had been opened.

Last year, issues around suicide and depression at universities were highlighted when 23-year-old Rhodes law student Khensani Maseko took her life. A Wits University student committed suicide and another was rushed to hospital following a suicide attempt. The two incidents happened within 24 hours of each other.