DURBAN - A UNIVERSITY of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) student was found dead in his room at a residence on Monday.
UKZN said the student had attended the Pietermaritzburg campus and was staying at the William O’Brien residence.
UKZN-PMB EFF Student Command chairperson Menzi Ngcobo said Philasande Kubheka was a second-year student studying towards a Bachelor of Social Science in politics and philosophy.
Ngcobo said he had been told that Kubheka had called his family and notified them that he was not feeling well last week. The family were not able to reach him on the phone, and on Monday Kubheka’s body was found in his room.
“They went in and found him in bed. They tried to wake him up, but noticed that he was not moving. They called an ambulance, which came and confirmed that he had passed away,” he said.
Ngcobo said the death came after students had marched to the university’s housing department two weeks ago to submit a memorandum to call for visitors to be allowed at residences.
“We stated valid reasons and told them that there are people who suffer from anxiety and stress due to the challenges they face.”
Normah Zondo, executive director of the Corporate Relations Division at UKZN, confirmed the student’s death in a statement yesterday.
Zondo said that the news had come as a great shock and was devastating.
She said they would extend full support to students and staff affected by this traumatic event.
She said counselling services had been made available for students and staff who may require it. “We appeal to all to treat this tragic incident with the dignity and sensitivity it deserves. The university has received a full report on the incident and is currently studying the report to ensure that all due protocols were followed.”
Attempts to speak to Kubheka's family were unsuccessful yesterday as they asked to be given some time to deal with the matter.
THE MERCURY