UCT students hold night vigil for missing Uyinene Mrwetyana

29 August 2019 - 13:49 By Dan Meyer
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Ninteen-year-old UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana has been missing since Saturday afternoon.
Ninteen-year-old UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana has been missing since Saturday afternoon.
Image: Facebook/Zuki Lamani

Friends, peers and faculty members congregated at the University of Cape Town on Wednesday night, clasping candles while their songs carried down the Jameson Hall steps as they held a vigil for missing student Uyinene Mrwetyana. 

As the search for the 19-year-old film and media student enters its fifth day, her friends grow increasingly concerned, desperately hoping for her safe return. 

"The way I am so traumatised. Can't even walk alone, don't want anyone standing or walking close to me," said Nikita Temere on Twitter.

Private investigator Noel Pratten, who helped in the recent search for the murdered Meghan Cremer, said support from the student body and police had been "fantastic".

"We are following up on several leads. We are making progress," he said on Thursday. "We have quite a lot of boots on the ground. UCT have called in a private investigation team that will be working with us.

"We are getting a lot of support from all walks of life," he said. "The students have been amazing. SAPS have been fantastic. They are putting in around 18 hours a day on this."

According to Pratten, Mrwetyana was last seen at Clareinch post office on Saturday afternoon, retrieving a parcel. Friends became concerned when she didn't return to her residence in Claremont and they discovered that her phone was off. 

SAPS spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk reiterated that every possible lead was being explored.

"We are following up on all leads and SAPS is working around the clock," he said. 


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