A 29-year-old man will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he allegedly raped a 21-year-old Central University of Technology (CUT) female student on Saturday morning.
South African Police Service spokesperson for Mangaung Metro Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane told The Free Stater the incident happened after the victim and her friends visited a local tavern in Bloemside Phase 10.
“When the tavern closed they moved to one of the friends’ home where they partied further during the early hours of Saturday, 23 July 2022,” said Covane.
“The complainant alleges that she requested a blanket and fell asleep on the couch.
“She woke up at about 05:35 and found one of the friends on top of her wearing a condom.”
“She felt that she had been penetrated and some of the friends witnessed the rape as they were still awake,” he added.
Covane said the victim reported the incident at Bloemspruit Police Station in the morning and a case of rape was opened, leading to the arrest of suspect on the same day.
CUT acting vice-chancellor Professor Alfred Ngowi has condemned the incident which he described as both unfortunate and regrettable.
In a statement released by the university on Monday, Ngowi said the case pointed to a serious social illness in the country that calls for people to collectively reflect on what can be done to address the challenges faced by society.
“Our female students are entitled to enjoy freedoms entrenched in our constitution. They are entitled to the protection of these rights,” said Ngowi.
“They have a legitimate claim to (walk) peacefully on the streets from their residences to the campus, to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of their surroundings without the fear, apprehension and insecurity that constantly diminishes the quality of their lives.”
The university commended the police for the prompt arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
It said the student is receiving the necessary support from the university through the CUT Wellness Centre.