CPUT student in court after allegedly hiding under woman’s bed - IOL
CPUT Students from CPUT gather at the entrance of the Bellville Magistrate's Court in support of the student who was allegedly attacked with a knife by a fellow student.
A 21-year-old CPUT chemical engineering student appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court charged with a knife attack on a fellow student in her room at the South Point, The Orchard, student residence in Belhar.
Katlego Kgaswane was remanded in custody and will appear again on Friday. Several students attended court in support of the victim, who is a fellow mechanical engineering student, only known as Siphe.
The incident happened at about 2am on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. According to students familiar with the incident, the 21-year-old entered the female student's room while she was using the restroom and hid under her bed. When she returned to her room and went to bed, the accused remained under the bed for some time before coming out and attacking her with a knife.
The female student was stabbed several times and was taken to hospital. She has since been discharged after receiving treatment for several lacerations. The incident was reported to Belhar Police Station. Police confirmed that a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) was opened and that the 21-year-old male student was arrested and made his first appearance at the Bellville Magistrate's Court last Friday, September 11, 2026.
Students, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked by the incident, especially because they said there was no known relationship between the two students.
Even the male friends of the accused said they were surprised by what happened. They described him as a quiet person who usually kept to himself.
The incident has also caused fear among students living at The Orchard. Many students believed that their residence was a safe place to live. One female student said the incident had made her, and other female students question their safety.
“It is now concerning how one of the people we live with every day can become a reason to make us all feel unsafe. Especially as females, we are not really safe, but we could not imagine that even at res, we are still not protected from our young brothers.”
Students are now calling for more attention to safety and security at student residences. Some are also concerned about how a student was allegedly able to enter another student's room without being stopped.
The SRC at CPUT has strongly condemned the attack and called for action to improve the safety of students living in residences.
Lauren Kansley, spokesperson for CPUT, said they are aware of the incident.
"Our legal and investigations unit is tracking the case. We are also in contact with the Student Liaison at Southpoint so that the necessary Counselling and Clinic services are activated when required. Disciplinary and suspensions on the accused will follow as soon as we are able to serve him with the papers, but in matters like this he will not return to residence until the internal disciplinary matter has concluded."
Kansley said the institution has visited the victim. "The victim in the matter has been visited by our own colleagues in the investigations and student support departments to ensure that she received the necessary support during this time."
She said Southpoint is a privately leased residence and their private security company manages any incidents within its perimeter.
"With 40 000 staff and students in our campus community we are well aware that incidents of Gender Based Violence are something which we must prepare for since these are rife within greater society.
"One of the events which unfortunately had to be cancelled this year due to the student protest action, was a GBV focused workshop with the National Prosecuting Authority. This event aims to strengthen our responses to GBV incidents so that the cases have a greater chance of success at trial."
"Our focus now moves to the victim and supporting her as best as we can," she said.
