Murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana

Uyinene Mrwetyana was a 19-year-old[4] University of Cape Town student who was tortured, raped and murdered on the 24th of August 2019 in the suburb of Claremont, Cape Town.[5] Her body was dumped in the township of Lingelethu West in Khayelitsha.[6][7] Mrwetyana's murder highlighted the broader national problem of gender based violence and homicide in South Africa.[8][9][10]

Uyinene Mrwetyana
Born
Uyinene Mrwetyana

April 20, 2000 (2000-04-20)[1]
DiedAugust 24, 2019 (2019-08-25) (aged 19)[2]
Claremont, Western Cape, South Africa
Cause of deathBludgeoning [3]
Alma materUniversity Of Cape Town
OccupationScholar
Following Mrwetyana's death, demonstrations against gender based violence and brutality against women took place across the country. The largest one taking place in front of the South African Parliament in Cape Town where President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on the issue.

A suspect, later identified as post office employee Luyanda Botha, was arrested and confessed to the Wynberg Magistrate's Court of committing the murder at a post office in Claremont.[10][11]

Following his arrest and subsequent confession, Luyanda Botha was found to have raped Mrwetyana and attempting to strangle her, before ultimately bludgeoning her to death with a two kilogram weight. He returned the following day to retrieve her body, dumping the remains in a field before dousing them with petrol and setting them alight.[12]

Following Botha's arrest, a remembrance was held at the University of Cape Town[13] and University of Witwatersrand[14] followed by protests at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town on September 4 where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was present.[15][16]

On 15 November 2019, Luyanda Botha received three life sentences for the rape and murder of Mrwetyana.[12] He will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of his sentence.

References
  1. https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/classifieds/2019-09-04-funeral-notice-uyinene-uthixo-mrwetyana/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Tanya Ferber. "Post office where UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana was killed closes its doors after walk-in". TimesLIVE. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  3. Vincent Cruywagen. "Chilling evidence of Uyinene Mrwetyana's last moments and how she fought back". IOL. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  4. Dan Meyer. "She wanted to see the world' - friends reeling over death of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana". TimesLIVE. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  5. Lyster, Rosa (2019-09-12). "The Death of Uyinene Mrwetyana and the Rise of South Africa's #AmINext Movement". ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  6. https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/chilling-evidence-of-uyinene-mrwetyanas-last-moments-and-how-she-fought-back-31755766
  7. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-09-02-breaking-missing-uct-student-was-bludgeoned-with-a-scale-in-post-office/
  8. Marvin Charles and Sukaina Ishmail (4 September 2019). "Anger and frustration grips SA over gender-based violence". Cape Argus. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  9. "'We want Cyril', gender-violence protesters chant at WEF". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  10. Reporter, Daily Maverick Staff. "HORROR. HORROR.: Murder Confession arrives with a thud – but Uyinene Mrwetyana is still officially missing". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  11. "Missing UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana was 'bludgeoned with a scale' in post office". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  12. "Luyanda Botha handed 3 life terms for raping, killing Uyinene Mrwetyana". News24. 2019-11-15. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
  13. "Cape Town mourns brutal killing of Uyinene Mrwetyana". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  14. "'Women are disappearing… it's a norm': Emotional vigil held for Uyinene Mrwetyana at Wits". News24. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  15. "Tear gas used outside World Economic Forum as chanting protesters surround venue". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  16. "Anti-homicide protesters try to storm fence at CTICC where Ramaphosa is speaking". News24. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
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