South African Student Uyinene Mrwetyana Is Brutally Raped & Killed

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South African Student Uyinene Mrwetyana Is Brutally Raped & Killed

One University of Cape Town student was the victim of a despicable act and now more details have surfaced.

According to Teen Vogue, 19-year-old film and media student Uyinene Mrwetyana was last seen on Saturday, August 30, according to investigators. Now, they have confirmed that a man has confessed to raping and brutally killing the teen. He officially owned up to the crimes in court on Tuesday, September 3.

Eric Ntabazalila, a spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape, said the 42-year-old guy, reportedly an employee of the post office, has prior convictions of armed robbery along with another rape case that was opened against him but later withdrawn.

According to officials, Mrwetyana went to the post office on the day of her disappearance to ask about a parcel. NPA spokesperson Ntabazalila said the electricity was out in the post office and Mrwetyana was told to come back later. When she returned, she was attacked. The suspect allegedly hit Mrwetyana with a scale, knocked her unconscious then sexually assaulted her.

He reportedly indicated to investigators where Mrwetyana’s body was hiding when he confessed, and “during the court proceedings he turned around to face the crowd and grinned slightly.”

Mrwetyana’s brutal death has caused major outrage in the community and ignited the #RIPUyinene hashtag on social media.

“It is incomprehensible that a young life, with so much potential, has been stolen from her family and our community. It is even more distressing that this horrible incident is one of many where women – young and old, and even girls – are ripped from our communities in such a violent manner,” said UCT Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

An #AmINextProtest hashtag, spearheaded by the Am I Next movement, also began on Wednesday, with activists, women and children picketing outside Parliament and at the first session of the World Economic Forum in Cape Town. Some of the signs read “Share Our Burden” and “Stop Killing Us,” challenging men, the president and the South African population to take more action in protecting women.

Meanwhile, the suspect’s trial is scheduled for November.