The safety of students living at off-campus residences has again been thrown into the spotlight in Gqeberha following an outcry over two alleged rape incidents during Women’s Month.
The crimes were alleged to have taken place at flats located in North End and Central, both occupied by Nelson Mandela University (NMU) students.
The situation was brought to light following an uproar by the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso), which urged residence managers and the university to safeguard students.
Regarding the North End matter, police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge confirmed that the Mount Road police station had assigned the case to the family, violence, child protection and sexual offences unit for investigation.
Beetge said the incident allegedly took place at a flat in Govan Mbeki Avenue at about 1am on August 1.
“On completion of the investigation, the docket was taken to the senior public prosecutor (SPP) for a decision,” Beetge said.
“No further details on the case can be given for media purposes.”
The estate agency managing the residence said the case was with police and the university.
“We can’t comment,” it said.
“You can reach out to the investigating officer handling the case or better still contact the university or Daso to give you more clarity on the statement they made.”
NMU Daso leader Liyabona Maselana claimed the suspects in that matter were two students.
In the most recently reported incident, Maselana claimed a victim was allegedly raped at a residence in Central on Saturday night.
The suspect was not believed to have been another student.
“That matter was reported to the police and the university on Tuesday,” Maselana said.
Regarding the second incident, NMU spokesperson Zandile Ngwendu said: “The matter was formally reported to the university and is being attended to in accordance with the university’s established protocols, including its duty of care to the complainant.
“As this is a newly reported matter, it would be premature to comment further while the relevant processes are under way.
“The university takes allegations of sexual violence very seriously and remains committed to ensuring that such matters are dealt with appropriately.”
Ngwendu failed to respond to specific questions relating to the North End matter.
Meanwhile, Maselana said victims should encourage other students who had experienced sexual violence or any assault to seek help and report the incidents through the appropriate channels.
“They don’t have to go through the process alone,” Maselana said.
“Student leadership is available to assist students in accessing the appropriate university and support structures.
“As Daso we’re demanding three things from the university — safety, support and accountability.”
In February, the university revealed during its state of readiness briefing that more than 300 criminal incidents involving NMU students had been recorded in 2025.
They included sexual offences, theft and murders at on- and off-campus residences.
NMU has about 23,000 students residing off-campus and more than 5,000 in on-campus accommodation this year.
The university, with about 34,780 students, has six campuses in Gqeberha and another in George.
There had been a number of fatal incidents that were reported at some of the off-campus residences.
Some of the reported incidents included:
- In November, a group was accused of assaulting a student at the university’s Claude Qavane Residence. The incident came to light after an anonymous social media user posted it in the “Nelson Mandela University Group” on Facebook. The post claimed a group had stormed the residence searching for someone “accused of sexual harassment”;
- Also that month, third-year Bachelor of Education student Thabiso Ernest Nini took his own life. The university recently confirmed it was instituting a fact-finding inquiry into the death by suicide of second-year student Sesethu Mboza, who died at an off-campus residence on October 31;
- Earlier in October, a student was killed and another was injured during a burglary at an off-campus residence in Summerstrand;
- In a separate incident, Sikhunjulwe Nkewana, 24, a third-year logistics student from the faculty of business and economic sciences, was found unresponsive by other students at Premier Student Accommodation (PSA), an off-campus residence in Central. This was after Nkewana had allegedly been involved in a violent altercation with a fellow student; and
- Thandolwami Ndlovu, 24, was killed in September 2024, when he was struck by a Mercedes-Benz in Clyde Street, Central. Motshwane Ngakane, 27, and Siyabulela Mekuto, 38 — both employees at the Gateway Residence in Central — also face a charge of kidnapping. While Ndlovu did not stay at the Gateway Residence at the time, an off-campus private residence contracted to NMU, it is alleged that before his death he was involved in an altercation with the manager of the establishment. Ndlovu was a third-year industrial chemistry student from Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
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