By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande is saddened and strongly condemns the killing of Ntokozo Xaba (21).
She was third-year student doing a National Diploma in Integrated Communication programme at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
Xaba was killed in what appears to be a Gender Based Violence crime on Friday.
Nzimande passed his condolences to the Xaba family, friends and the entire Tshwane University of Technology.
“Minister Nzimande is, however, pleased by the swift response of the law enforcement agencies who have taken a suspected man for questioning regarding Xaba’s untimely death.
“The Minister has directed Higher Health to join in efforts with the Tshwane University of Technology wellness team to provide the necessary phyco-social support to the family.
“Minister Nzimande said that Gender-based violence (GBV) or violence against women and girls (VAWG), is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime,” said spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi.
The Minister said these numbers were staggering with global figures indicating that as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner, 35% of women worldwide experiencing physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
“This issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs and has dire implication to the post school education and training sector,” said Minister Nzimande.
“As part of dealing with gender-based violence in our institutions, I will be launching the ‘Transforming MENtalities Initiative’, which will be a multistakeholder partnership within the PSET, with a particular focus on mobilising men in our sector to be part of championing a world free of gender biases, stereotypes, violence and discrimination,” said Nzimande.
“All our institutions working with HIGHER HEALTH must continue to work collectively in implementing programmes towards addressing the challenges of sexual and gender based violence within our PSET system.
“This includes ensuring the provision of safe workplaces, learning spaces and residences for all staff and students in our institutions,” Nzimande said.
The minister said that higher health ought to also ensure that all institutions work collaboratively with the established multi sectoral PSET gender- based violence technical Task team chaired by Professor Lenka Bula, to ensure the effective implementation of the DHET Gender Policy Framework.
He said he would soon release the Ministerial Task Team (MTT) report on sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the university sector. This MTT was chaired by Professor Sibongile Muthwa and the report of the MTT was submitted to me for consideration.
Xaba was found murdered in her residence at TUT.
Image: Supplied.
Xaba’s name trended on Friday after family members and Women for Change shared details of her death.
According to police, she was drinking with friends, including her ex-boyfriend, on Wednesday.
The ex represented Blue Bulls country districts in the 2022 season, the club confirmed.
The friends reportedly left the two together that night, said police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello.
“The following morning, the victim was found dead with stab wounds on the neck. The ex-boyfriend has been taken in for questioning by the police. Investigations continue,” said Sello.
Her distraught family has broken their silence on the young woman’s death, with Xaba’s cousin, who did not want to be named, sharing the family’s pain.
“We grew up together, since she was six months old until I had to leave for school. She went to Pretoria and I went to Mpumalanga,” she said.
The woman opened up about Xaba and the suspect’s two-year relationship, which reportedly ended last year, revealing that it became abusive towards the end.
“She didn’t want to disclose to us that the guy was abusing her but the friends saw everything.”