Fort Hare University mourns death of yet another student

• Another Fort Hare University student has died – the second student to die in the past week.
• The body of Kabelo Emmanuel Sobogile, a second-year BCom student, was found in his room at the university's campus on Monday.
• This brings the total number of Fort Hare student deaths for the 2020 academic year to five.

Another Fort Hare University student has died – the second student to die in the past week.

Tandi Mapukata, the university's director for institutional advancement, said the body of Kabelo Emmanuel Sobogile, a second-year BCom student, was found in his room at the university's campus in Alice in the Eastern Cape on Monday morning. The cause of his death is unknown.

On 29 September, another student Bokang Makhaoli died of pneumonia.

"This is heartbreaking for the university because not so long ago we were confronted by a series of student deaths," Mapukata said.

In March, student Siphumle Nazo died after he was allegedly hit on the head with an iron bar by a fellow student at the university's Marikana residence.

On 8 February, Yonela Boli, a 24-year-old Fort Hare student, died at Victoria Hospital after allegedly being stabbed by a close female friend.

About two weeks later, Boli's friend, Olwethu Tshefu, a 30-year-old Fort Hare student, was also stabbed to death.

The latest death brings the total number of student fatalities at Fort Hare for the 2020 academic year to five. 

The university extended its condolences to the families of Makhaoli and Sobogile.

Mapukata said funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course. 

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