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- A first-year student was stabbed to death on his way to queue for the NSFAS allowance.
- Four people were arrested and appeared in court on charges of murder.
- Another student was also stabbed, but survived.
On the way to queue for his NSFAS allowance, first-year B.Ed student Thato Molaudi was stabbed to death in King Edward Street, just outside the Central University of Technology's (CUT) Bloemfontein campus at around 05:00 on Tuesday.
Third-year B.Ed student Lerato Khobeni was also stabbed, but survived, and was treated in hospital, according to GroundUp.
Thato was trying to be one of the first in the queue to verify himself for his NSFAS allowance.
Students must be present with their cellphones to show they receive a one-time pin code and are registered at the university.
Four people were arrested on Wednesday and appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of murder and assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm.
The case was postponed to 18 April for formal bail application.
Students picketed outside court, demanding that bail be refused.
Thato's aunt, Tlalane, said the family was devastated.
She said:
CUT's vice-chancellor, Pamela Dube, said: "This is a great tragedy for the university … We offer our deepest condolences to the deceased's family, faculty and friends.
"This unfortunate incident demands that we address the challenges staring at us immediately."
She said CUT insisted that the Mangaung Metro Municipality took decisive steps to ensure the safety and security of students.
READ | Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande dissolves NSFAS board
SRC president Metsing Matlhaku said that, if the NSFAS processing had been efficient, there would be no need for students to queue so early in the morning.
"Students are risking their lives walking from the township to be early for the queue," he said.
He said students who arrived at 10:00 would not be processed on the same day, but since the incident "we saw magic service", with students arriving at noon being helped.
A student, Zizakele Langveldt, said she had queued on Friday and Monday, and not been helped.
She found other students, and they walked in a group at 05:00 on Tuesday.
"We know we are risking our lives … but we had to be brave for NSFAS money because we need it," said Langveldt.
Another student, Sipho Nqothi, said he was nearly robbed on Monday, at 06:00, by three men who had knives.
Luckily, some by-passers chased off the robbers.
