The suspect arrested in connection with the rape of one student and the stabbing of another at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth is due to appear in court this Friday.
The 29-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday afternoon at Govan Mbeki Avenue in central PE in possession of a computer and cell phone.
It is alleged that the suspect on Monday entered the NMU 2nd Avenue campus and threatened two students.
“On Monday, at about 19:30, a 25-year-old Nelson Mandela University student was allegedly raped and her friend stabbed at the 2nd Avenue campus. The two students were busy in the computer lab when the suspect entered and threatened them with a pair of scissors,” police said.
Thereafter, the suspect took a computer box and monitor, as well as a cell phone belonging to one of the victim’s.
He will appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and robbery.
The Cluster Commander for Mount Road, Major General Funeka Siganga, commended the police for the arrest.
“Reducing the incidence of crimes against women and children remains one of the key strategic priorities of the South African Police Service.
“The Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit is a specialist environment established to deal with gender-based violent crimes including sexual offenses and to protect the rights and dignity of victims of abuse by ensuring that these crimes are thoroughly investigated, perpetrators arrested and brought before a court,” said Siganga.
Following the incident, NMU says it will heighten security by increasing the number of staff to undertake visible patrolling across all campuses, including all teaching venues, from now until the end of exams.
The university will also expand its partnership with SAPS and Metro Police to get extra support for the students in and around our campuses, particularly at 2nd Avenue and Missionvale campuses.
In a statement, NMU said it will also improve CCTV monitoring, undertake control checks at entrances, taxi drop-off points and bus stops. It will undertake an audit of all the external campus lighting.
It will extend its anti-crime initiatives, including those with the Summerstrand Community Crime Forum, especially towards the establishment of safe on- and off-campus “green routes”, which will be monitored and patrolled. - SAnews.gov.za
