Bedtime horror: CPUT student allegedly hides under bed before stabbing female classmate!
It was meant to be a quiet Wednesday morning at The Orchard student residence in Belhar, but the peace was shattered in the most brutal fashion. A 21-year-old chemical engineering student from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has appeared before the Bellville Magistrate’s Court following a harrowing knife attack on a fellow student that has left the campus community reeling.
The incident, which allegedly unfolded around 2 am on 9 September, has turned a place of learning into a scene of fear. According to accounts from students familiar with the terrifying ordeal, the accused, Katlego Kgaswane, allegedly slipped into the female student’s room while she was using the shared facilities and hid beneath her bed. He reportedly waited in the dark, silent and undetected, until the unsuspecting student returned and climbed into bed. It was only then, as she tried to rest, that he allegedly emerged from his hiding spot and launched a vicious, targeted attack with a knife.
The victim, whose life was irrevocably altered in those few minutes, was stabbed multiple times during the ambush. She was rushed to a local hospital to receive emergency medical attention for several severe lacerations. Fortunately, she has since been discharged and is undergoing further recovery.
Following his arrest, Kgaswane made his initial court appearance on Friday, 11 September, and has been remanded in custody. He is scheduled to return to the dock this coming Friday as the legal process continues. Police have confirmed that a formal case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm has been opened and is currently under investigation.
The brutality of the attack has left those who know Kgaswane in a state of stunned disbelief. Students who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted that there was no known relationship between the two students, making the motivation behind such a violent act even more difficult to comprehend. Even his close male friends have expressed absolute shock, describing him as a quiet individual who generally kept to himself, far removed from the profile of someone capable of such a senseless act.
However, the questions now being asked go far beyond the actions of one individual. The incident at The Orchard has sparked a wave of urgent concern regarding the safety protocols in place at student residences. Students are rightfully questioning how a person could gain access to a fellow student's private room without being detected, stopped, or questioned by security.
One student, deeply affected by the incident, did not mince words about the state of vulnerability they feel. "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."
This sentiment of profound insecurity echoes a broader, troubling narrative playing out across South Africa’s higher education landscape. Universities, which should be sanctuaries for personal and academic growth, have increasingly become sites where students—particularly women—feel acutely at risk. Across the country, the conversation around campus security, the quality of living conditions, and the rampant issue of gender-based violence has taken on a renewed, desperate urgency. Students from various institutions have been vocal about the persistent dangers they face, ranging from poorly managed housing facilities to a lack of robust security measures that leave individuals vulnerable to criminal elements, whether they come from outside or, as in this case, from within the student community itself.
The CPUT Students' Representative Council (SRC) has strongly condemned the attack, adding their voice to the growing chorus demanding immediate, tangible action to improve safety standards. The university administration, for its part, has stated it is fully aware of the situation.
Lauren Kansley, a spokesperson for CPUT, confirmed that the institution’s legal and investigations unit is actively tracking the case. She noted that The Orchard is a privately leased residence, but emphasized the university’s responsibility toward its students. "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."
Regarding the immediate consequences for the accused, Kansley confirmed that disciplinary measures would be set in motion as soon as the university is in a position to serve Kgaswane with the necessary formal documentation. Crucially, she confirmed that he would not be permitted to return to the residence until the internal disciplinary procedures have concluded.
"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," Kansley added. "Our focus now moves to the victim and supporting her as best as we can."
As the legal proceedings grind forward, the students at The Orchard and across the CPUT campuses are left to grapple with a new reality. The simple, everyday act of closing one’s door at night no longer guarantees safety. As the spotlight shifts to the university's response and the broader systemic failures in student accommodation security, one thing is certain: for many students, the trust that once made residence living feel like a home has been fundamentally broken, and the demand for real, structural change is only just beginning.
