Cape Town, South Africa – the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation has expressed its concern following the recent stabbing of a student from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). The incident involved a female student, believed to be the wife of the assailant, who is a student at the University of the Western Cape. The committee has welcomed the arrest of the alleged perpetrator and extended its wishes for a speedy recovery to the victim.
According to Parliament of South Africa, this violent act highlights the ongoing and critical issue of gender-based violence (GBV) in society, including within institutions of higher learning. The committee emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to address GBV, calling for the full implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBV. This plan aims to provide a strategic policy and framework for a coordinated response to the crisis of GBV.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has been actively introducing programmes to combat GBV in educational settings. Notable among these initiatives are the Higher Health Civic Education and Health Skills Programme and the Transforming MENtalities programmes, which are now part of the curriculum in the Post School Education and Training sector. The Transforming MENtalities Initiative specifically focuses on engaging men in the higher education sector to become champions in creating a world free from GBV and all forms of discrimination.
Ms. Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, has emphasized the crucial role of educational institutions in shaping societal values in line with the non-sexist ideals enshrined in the South African Constitution.
The committee has been in regular communication with the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), discussing its investigations into GBV and related issues in universities and TVET colleges. Follow-up meetings have been conducted with these institutions to ensure the implementation of the CGE’s observations and recommendations.
On Friday, 17 November, the committee is scheduled to receive a briefing from the Human Sciences Research Council on the findings and recommendations of the South African National Survey on Health, Life Experiences, and Family Relations study. Additionally, the committee has extended invitations to the Portfolio Committees on Police, and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, to participate in discussions on a broad range of GBV and gender-related matters.
In response to the recent stabbing incident, the committee is urging Higher Health and the mental health services at CPUT to provide necessary support to the victim and the university community as they navigate the aftermath of this traumatic event.