by Myolisi Gophe
Cape Town - The atmosphere at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) was sombre as staff and students came together to pay tribute to Kamva Dasi – a third-year B.Com student shot and killed in Belhar on April 29.
Dr Matete Madiba, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Development and Support, said: “What makes the pain of losing him deeper is that his family will not enjoy his graduation.
“There will be no Kamva to wave his certificate and thank them for supporting him throughout his journey. What deepens the pain further is that he was advanced in his studies. He was almost there, but unfortunately, this happened. Indeed, tragedy has struck and has inflicted pain in us as the university community.”
Dr Madiba told the mourners that Dasi’s untimely death occurred when South Africa celebrated Freedom Day and Workers’ Day.
“As South Africans, we are reminded that the freedom and democracy we are supposed to celebrate is curtailed. We can’t claim that we are experiencing any freedom with this level of crime in our country. It is making it much less of a democratic state than we thought it would be.”
She assured attendees that students’ safety was paramount and that the university was working hard to ensure they do not fall victim to crime.
“Maybe the question is the speed of this work. We have to accelerate the efforts that are already on the table so that they have more impact,” she said.
Dr Madiba commended the Students Representative Council (SRC) for organising a candlelight vigil and wreath-laying to honour Dasi. And she used the opportunity to, once again, encourage all affected students to use the available services on campus, such as counselling, to deal with their grief.
UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius accompanied staff and students on a walk from campus to where Dasi was killed. He, with the SRC President, Mandla-Onke Notyawa, laid a wreath of flowers and comforted Dasi’s loved ones.
Notyawa said they wanted to honour and celebrate the life of Dasi – a young person who came from Mthatha to pursue his dream.
“He died in the hands of his friends, who were traumatised to see their friend taking his last breath. That is an image I can’t even begin to imagine. Today, it is Kamva, but we don’t know who it will be tomorrow because of the environment Kamva found himself in.
“We want to say to his family; your pain is our pain. Your loss is our loss. We feel it, and we are with you all the way. Kamva was a friend and brother, and we also mourn with you. On behalf of all students of this university, we want to thank you very much for letting Kamva share his moments with us,” he said.
The university has arranged transport for those who wish to attend Dasi’s funeral in Mthatha over the weekend.