DANIELLE PETTERSON
A Tuks student has been accused of murdering his girlfriend. This is the second murder involving Tuks students in a month.
Sithokozile Mkhize has been accused of killing aeronautical engineering student Sarah Molewa on 20 September. Molewa’s body was found at a construction site in Pretoria East four days later. Mkhize allegedly strangled Molewa and left her body in their flat in Hatfield for several days before dumping it. Mkhize was arrested a few days after the victim’s body was found.
The Sowetan reported that the crime was prompted after Mkhize began suspecting that Molewa was being unfaithful to him.
This incident follows the murder of Tuks law student Alvira Botter at her home in Fourways on 5 September. Botter was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend, a fellow law student at Tuks, who was arrested three days after her murder.
A statement released by UP said, “The University of Pretoria deeply mourns the unnatural death of two of its senior female students [and is] concerned about the extent to which the level of violence in the country is impacting its staff and students.” However, the university said that they do not see a specific trend in the number and nature of the incidents involving individuals associated with the institution. According to the statement, steps have been taken to provide trauma counselling to the classmates and friends of the victims.
Mkhize’s bail application was rejected and the case has been postponed to 13 November for further investigations to be conducted.
