Fort Hare student dies after being stabbed by 'close female friend'
10 February 2020
A master's student at Fort Hare University in Alice in the Eastern Cape died in the early hours of Saturday after he was allegedly stabbed by a "close female friend".
Yonela Boli, 24, an MSc Geology student, died at the Victoria Hospital at around 05:00 after arriving there at 04:30, about two-and-a-half hours after being stabbed in the chest at the Iona residence on the Alice campus.
A "close female friend" was arrested in connection with the alleged stabbing. Her name is being withheld until she appeared in the Alice Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
According to Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo, Boli arrived at the hospital in a state of shock.
"He struggled to get transport to the hospital."
"On arrival, he had bled to a state of shock from a 3cm wound at the back of the chest, which was still actively bleeding."
Kupelo said Boli had a heart attack while he was on his way to an X-ray examination and could not be resuscitated. He died at 05:00.
The University of Fort Hare's director of institutional advancement, TandiMapukata, announced Boli's death "with a deep sense of sadness and frustration".
Mapukata said the female suspect was a fellow student and "close friend" of Boli.
"This is a double tragedy for the university, the families [of the victim and suspect] and society at large. Gender-based violence is not welcome on our campuses," Mapukata said.
Vice-chancellor professor SakhelaBuhlungu said the university condemned all forms of violence and that it would monitor the case to ensure the law runs its course.
"We are deeply disturbed by the tragic loss of a young life. We are even more troubled that the [alleged] perpetrator is also a senior student at this fine institution," Buhlungu said.
The university said counselling services would be provided to affected students.
Funeral details would be provided in due course.
